Prairie Cordgrass,Spartina pectinata , Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Grasses of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Height	Prime Season
	Prairie Cordgrass	Spartina pectinata Bosc. ex Link.	Poaceae (Grasses)	Upland	2 to 7 feet	July to September
	Native Status	Prairie Cordgrass is a native perennial found throughout the United States except the far SW Corner and the SE Corner, and in all the lower Canadian Provinces except British Columbia. In Minnesota it is found in almost all the counties except Cook and a few in the north central part of the state.
Notes	Prairie Cordgrass is a robust warm-season grass that grows from strong scaly rhizomes that can grow 5 to 10 feet per year which is why it is sometimes found in pure dense stands in the pothole area of the old tall-grass prairie. It tolerates moisture very well making it the native grass of choice for wet areas. It is an excellent choice for pond edges or any low, damp area. The stems are erect and stout. Leaf blades are 3/16" to 5/8" wide (5-15mm) and 8 to 30" long, mostly smooth of the lower surface but rough on top with sharp serrated edges. The blades taper to fine tip. The flowering heads are 12 to 20" long and are composed of 7 to 17 one-sided densely flowered branches. The branches are comb-like with 10 to 80 spikelets growing in two rows on the side of the spike away from the stem. The spikelets have a short barbed awn which causes them to stick to clothing. (Awns are bristle-like appendages at the tip of the seed that can make a twisting response to temperature and humidly changes and thus help the seed to work into the soil). The seed is said to be poorly viable, thus the spread of the plant is via the vigorous rhizomes. Cordgrass makes good shelter for birds and animals, but is not useful for animal forage except when young and tender before the blades develop the serrated edges. The scientific names: Spartina is Greek for "cord" and pectinata is Latin for "comb-like" referring to the flower panicles.


Above, below and upper left: Tall stems of Prairie Cordgrass, photos ©Phoebe Waugh	Above: Prairie Cordgrass drawing courtesy USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC.
	Below: Detail of the spikelets forming a double row on the panicle and facing away from the stem. Photo ©Merle R. Black, University of Wisconsin, Steven's Point.

Below: The leaf sheath has a long open throat and is often hairy.	Below: Prairie Cordgrass in the Upland Garden.

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 28c, W2, W3, W5 & W6. Distribution principally from W2 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

©2011 Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc. All photos are the property of The Friends of the Wild Flower Garden unless otherwise credited. "www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org"

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