Hot Sale Ammophila Breviligulata (marram Grass, American Beach Grass) Perfect Gift [3MPHCKv6]

What plant is the best to stabilize coastal sandy beaches and shorelines?  Likely Ammophila breviligulata is the best plant to stabilize eroding beaches, at least when in its native range and habitat as it grows where no other plant can. 

American Beach Grass is the dominant native grass along the sandy beaches and dunes of Lake Michigan and the Atlantic Ocean coast. Its long, narrow inflorescences are iconic along the beaches and dunes where it grows.  Marram Grass (its other common name) requires very unique conditions to thrive, very sandy unstable soils, typically full sun, and normal to dry soil conditions. It is also critical for threatened coastal habitats, some bird species use it for nesting and cover along the shoreline. 

Ammophila breviligulata is the key species for dune and beach stabilization. Ammophila breviligulata pioneers unstable and partially stable foredunes, allowing additional plant species to colonize, further stabilizing the site. American Beach Grass does this by spreading through root rhizomes, spreading further and further each year in very tough conditions, stabilizing an area over time. This useful plant can be used to provide critical coastal habitat and to stabilize a property when erosion is an issue.

Increasingly irregular weather patterns due to climate change have led to coastal instability and erosion.  Highly fluctuating great lakes levels, increased frequency and intensity of inland and tropical storms, and hurricanes have led to critical instability of coastal properties and wildlife sanctuaries.  American Beach Grass has come to the rescue time and time again in stabilizing these critical areas. It remains one of the primary ways to stabilize coastal areas by aggregating soils rather than losing them. In extreme cases, it likely will need to be paired with some sort of engineered hard armament to alleviate erosion issues. 

This plant is typically provided by bare root stock and is harvested only at optimal times of the year to make sure your planting has the best chance at success. Please see the notes below in red for further details.

Sun Exposure Prairie/Savanna

Soil Conditions Mesic, Dry Mesic, Dry

Height 2-4'

 

Planting Recommendations:

Planting time: The best time to plant marram grass is in the fall, from September to October. However, it can also be planted in the spring, from March to May.
Site preparation: Choose a site that receives full sun and has well-drained sandy soil. The soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5. If the soil is not well-drained, amend it with sand or gravel.
Planting depth: Plant the marram grass roots 10 inches or more deep. This will help the grass survive dry summers.
Spacing: Space the marram grass plants 6 to 18 inches apart. See spacing recommendations below.
Watering: Water the marram grass regularly after planting, and ensure the planting area remains moist during the first year. Once the grass is established, it is more drought-tolerant.
Fertilizer: We do not normally recommend fertilizing plants, however, we do in this case due to the stabilization demands of this plant. Fertilizer is important for good growth of marram grass in the Midwest. Follow all fertilizer label instructions. Apply fertilizer 30 days after planting, but no earlier than April 1. Use a granular fertilizer high in nitrogen, such as 30-10-0, 16-8-8, or 10-10-10. Split the fertilizer applications into three: one in the spring, one in early summer, and one in late summer. Do not apply more than 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in a single application.

Here are some additional tips for fertilizing marram grass in the Midwest:

• Test the soil before fertilizing to determine the nutrient levels.
• Water the plants well before and after fertilizing.
• Avoid fertilizing during hot, dry weather.
• Be careful not to over-fertilize, as this can damage the plants.

Weed control: Keep the area around the marram grass free of weeds.

Additional tips:

• Water plugs and dunk bare roots in water before planting.
• If the area is prone to flooding, you may need to raise the planting bed or implement erosion control measures.
• Be patient! It takes time for marram grass to establish itself.

 

Spacing recommendations

• 6" on center for highly erodible beaches and slopes
• 8" on center for moderately erodible slopes
• 12" on center for low erosion potential and/or flatter areas
• 18" on center for very low erosion potential

 

If you are wholesale, please send a quote request and we will happily provide pricing.

The bare root stock will only ship at only two times per year depending on weather and plant phenology. When ordered, bare-root Ammophila breviligulata (Marram Grass) will ship at the next available shipping window, see the shipping windows below.

Bare Root Minimum Order is 250

Shipping Windows: Bare Root:

• Spring - Approximately March through early April
• Fall - Approximately October through early November

 

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Photo 1: By Halley (originally posted to Flickr as Beach Grass) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons