Sea Grass Plants for Gardens

Giant Reed

• Native to the Mediterranean and found alongside the water, the giant reed can reach a height of up to 20 feet tall in similar climates. Still able to be grown in cooler climates, the giant reed will die off to the ground in the chilly winter months and return in the spring, when it can still grow to be about a foot high in one growing season.

  Found throughout USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6 through Zone 10, the giant reed thrives in full sunlight and a number of different soil conditions, including standing water. In addition to having thick stems; long, slender, grayish-green leaves; and attractive fall flowers that begin purple and turn silver, the giant reed has a number of different practical uses.

  When planted alongside water in its native habitat, stands of giant reed can help prevent erosion. Their fall flowers can be dried and used in flower arrangements, and the thick stems of the giant reed are used to make the reeds for musical instruments.

Sand Cordgrass

• Sand cordgrass is typically found in salt marshes and other boggy areas. It grows in large clumps that can reach heights between 4 feet and 6 feet and which curve out to form a ball-shaped cluster. Because of its size, it isn't suited to small areas but does well in larger landscapes.

  The leaves have a rough feel, but they are not sharp enough to cut. Green in summer and fading to a brown hue in the winter months, sand cordgrass is rated for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8 through Zone 10. Thriving in full sunlight, sand cordgrass is actually extremely drought-tolerant, so it can be planted away from the native water's edge. As with the giant reed, stands of sand cordgrass can be used to help prevent erosion.

Sea Oats

• Sea oats are found growing alongside the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. The grasses, hardy to Zone 6 through Zone 10, thrive in fertile, sandy soil and full sunlight.

  The stems of the grasses are underground, where they root themselves in moist soils. The leaves of the grasses can be up to 2 feet long, and the above-ground portion of the stems can reach up to 6 feet. These stems end in clusters of seeds whose appearance gives sea oats its name. Sea oats can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, but they can be contained by planting them in containers.

  Sea oats are protected in areas such as Florida and Georgia, where they play a valuable role in stabilizing the coastline and preventing erosion.