California Invasive Plant Council

Paspalum vaginatum

Common names: seashore Paspalum

Paspalum vaginatum (seashore Paspalum) is a perennial grass (family Poaceae) that can grow to approximately 20 inches tall and is found in the Sonoran Desert and south coast ranges of California. It is native to southeastern North America, other parts of tropical Central and South America and Africa. It favors dunes and bog and marsh habitat. It reproduces vegetatively via sod, containerized material and rhizomes. Its seeds are rarely viable. It spreads via agricultural activities, animal grazing and water.

Cal-IPC Rating: Watch

CDFA Rating: None?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Paspalum vaginatum Plant Risk Assessment - An evaluation of the potential for a plant to be invasive in California.

Weed Management Notes

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

There are no newsletter articles associated with this species yet.

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

• Big Canyon Habitat Restoration and Resiliency Project Phase 3: CEQA exempt through CDFW’s SERP process. Arenas, Alys (2023)
• Mobilizing a rapid response to the threat posed by Paspalum vaginatum to tidal marsh conservation in California. Kerr, Drew; Arenas, Alys (2022)
• Regional EDRR with Bay Area WMAs. Johnson, Doug; Valentine, Nicole (2022)
• Weed alerts and other invasive plant highlights for 2020. Burger, Jutta; Price, Robert (2020)

Other Paspalum vaginatum Information

• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• CalWeedMapper - Distribution map of this species in California with ability to determine regional priorities.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.

Additional photos