Spartina anglica

Spartina anglica_common cordgrass_ JM Di Tomaso
Photo: Joseph DiTomaso

Common names: English cordgrass

Spartina anglica (common cordgrass) is a rhizomatous perennial grass (family Poaceae) found in salt marshes and mudflats in northern San Francisco Bay. Common cordgrass is a recently evolved species that was first described in the late 1800s. The new species resulted from the hybridization of smooth cordgrass (S. alterniflora) and small cordgrass (S. maritima) in England. Spartina anglica can transform tidal mudflats into drier, elevated meadows over time. This has not yet occurred in the infested site in the San Francisco Bay, where the species has been spreading slowly since its introduction in 1970.

Cal-IPC Rating: Moderate — Alert?

CDFA Rating: -*?

Assessment(s)

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Weed Management Notes

  • Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

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.

Other Spartina anglica Information

  • 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

    Spartina anglica_leaf base and sheath_JoeDiTomaso
    Spartina anglica (English cordgrass) leaf base and sheath. Photo: Joe DiTomaso