Seashore Paspalum
Paspalum vaginatum
- Native to:
- Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Is., Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Palau, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, United States, Uruguay, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
Nalbarian
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Paspalum
- Species:
- Paspalum vaginatum
- USDA Symbol:
- PAVA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
- Lawn Substitute:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from stolons and rhizomes after fire; commonly used in fire-prone coastal landscapes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, saline, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in coastal and estuarine areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Germinates readily in warm temperatures. Typically propagated vegetatively via stolons or plugs rather than seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI