Seashore Paspalum
Paspalum vaginatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass, excellent salt-tolerant transition and coastal grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Golf Course Grass, Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11, high heat tolerance, moderate cold tolerance, enters winter dormancy and turns straw-colored in cooler zones
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
'SeaIsle 1', 'Salam', or 'SeaDwarf' - fine-textured cultivars bred for golf courses and high-end turf
About This Grass
Forms a dense, fine-to-medium textured turf with bright apple-green to dark green color. Height ranges from 0.5 to 2 inches when maintained. Produces V-shaped raceme seed heads containing spikelets.
Blade Characteristics
Medium-fine width (2-3mm), folded in the bud (vernation), flat or folded blade shape with pointed tips, light to bright green color, prominent ligule, membranous, and distinct collar region
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system combined with vigorous stolons and rhizomes, forms a very dense sod, moderate establishment speed from vegetative plugs
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical coastal regions worldwide, widely cultivated in coastal areas globally and highly adapted to marine environments
Growth Habit
Aggressively stoloniferous and rhizomatous, forms a dense, tight, carpet-like turf with rapid horizontal spread
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours), high water tolerance, excellent salt water and greywater tolerance, good drought tolerance once established, prefers sandy or coastal soils with pH 5.5 to 7.5
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 0.5 to 1.5 inches for lawns, lower for golf greens; frequent mowing required; moderate to high maintenance level depending on use; responds well to regular fertilization
Special Characteristics
Exceptional salt tolerance (can be irrigated with seawater), high wear tolerance, good recovery from damage, excellent erosion control on coastal dunes, moderate shade tolerance compared to other warm-season grasses
Ecological Information
Naturalized in coastal wetlands and marshes, provides shoreline stabilization, excellent for saline soils where other turf fails, highly valued in coastal landscaping and golf course design