🌿 Sand Cordgrass (Spartina bakeri)

Sand Cordgrass is a tough, native grass that thrives in Florida’s sandy soils and coastal landscapes. With its tall, arching, green-to-golden blades, it creates a natural, flowing look that moves gracefully in the wind. Known for its ability to handle drought, salt, and flooding, Sand Cordgrass is a resilient choice for stabilizing soils, softening shorelines, and adding texture to large landscape spaces.

🌸 Flowers & Foliage

• Foliage: Tall, narrow green blades that turn golden-brown in winter

• Flowers: Inconspicuous blooms on tall stalks in summer

• Winter Interest: Foliage often dries to tan, adding texture and contrast

🌱 Plant Details

• Type: Native perennial grass

• Mature Size: 4–6 ft. tall × 4–6 ft. wide

• Growth Habit: Dense, fountain-like clumps with arching blades

• Exposure: Full sun to light shade

• Soil: Adapts to sandy, wet, or occasionally flooded soils

• Water Needs: Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established

• Hardiness: USDA Zones 8–11

• Maintenance: Very low; cut back dead foliage in late winter if desired

🌟 Why We Love It

• Florida native — perfectly adapted to local conditions

• Tough and versatile — tolerates salt, drought, and flooding

• Soil stabilizer — great for erosion control in sandy or coastal sites

• Year-round texture — provides movement and seasonal color shifts

🌼 Landscape Uses

• Shoreline stabilization and erosion control

• Coastal and dune plantings

• Naturalized areas and large native landscapes

• Backdrop grass for mixed plantings

⚠️ Plant Notes

• Can grow quite large — best suited for open spaces or large landscape beds.

• Clumps may thin out in heavy shade; prefers sunny conditions.

✅ Level To Leaf Tip: Use Sand Cordgrass in groups or drifts along shorelines or open beds — it not only creates a dramatic, windswept look but also strengthens the soil where it’s planted.