Salt grass
Distichlis spicata
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Plants & algaes
- Ecosystem
- Beaches & dunes
- Relatives
- Other grasses; Order: Cyperales; Family: Poaceae
- Diet
- Photosynthesis (converts sunlight to energy and nutrients)
- Range
- Common throughout western United States and Canada
- Size
- Up to 12 inches (30.5 cm)
About salt grass
This rare plant can live in salty soil without wilting. Salt grass takes the salt in then sweats it out, leaving crystals on its blades for the rain to wash away. Even so, salt grass can't grow as close to the water's edge as other plants like pickleweed.
Conservation
Salt grass is commonly used in wetland restoration. For many decades, people considered wetlands "wastelands" and thousands of acres were filled in, diked off, or dredged out for human uses. Now we know our remaining wetlands are a valuable and vulnerable resource for people and wildlife. You can help preserve native wetlands by getting involved in restoration projects in your area.
Cool facts
- Salt grass and other plants that live in dunes need tough roots to anchor them in the shifting sands. Because dunes are so dry, dune plants often have waxy skins or furry leaves to hold in moisture, a lot like terrestrial desert plants.
- Salt grass is an important food source for geese and other birds. As they decompose, they're also a steady source of nutrition for clams, fishes, and crabs.
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