Sporobolus Pumilus

Also known as Salt Hay, Saltmeadow Grass, Marsh Hay, High-water Grass

Saltmeadow cordgrass forms extensive swirling mats across the high marsh, often flattening into distinctive cowlicks shaped by wind and high spring tides. Dense networks of slender rhizomes bind loose coastal sediments, buffering estuaries from storm erosion and building organic peat over decades. Historically harvested by coastal farmers as rot-resistant livestock fodder, these dense grasslands provide vital high-tide refuge for marsh-dwelling wildlife.