Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Alkali Cord Grass (Spartina gracilis) is a rare native grass that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the White and Inyo Mountains, the Sierra Nevada East and Mojave Desert regions. It is moderately fast growing and long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 3 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the late summer. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in alkaline lake shores, at elevations from 3300-6900 feet.

Plant type

Grass

Size

3 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Winter Deciduous

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Color

Yellow

Flowering season

Summer

Sun

Full Sun

Soil drainage

Standing

Soil description

Prefers loamy or clay soils. Grows poorly in sandy soils.

Sunset Zones

1, 2*, 3*

Site type

Alkaline lake shores, streambanks, meadows, marshes

Plant communities

Freshwater Marsh, Sagebrush Scrub, Wetland-Riparian