Prairie Cordgrass

spartina pectinata
Turns from green, to orange and yellow with a tint of purple when flowering. 5-7 feet tall!

Prairie Cordgrass
  • Prairie Cordgrass thumbnail
  • Prairie Cordgrass thumbnail

About Prairie Cordgrass

Prairie Cordgrass is a native warm season, sod-forming grass also called "rip gut" due to its saw toothed leaf margins at maturity. This grass forms extremely dense stands, spreading by creeping rhizomes and seed produced on tillers 5-7 ft. tall. It grows best on deep, heavy lowland soils and also does well with other warm-season grasses on sub-irrigated sites. Livestock find it palatable when grazed early.


Uses include:

  • Soil stabilization
  • Erosion control
  • Water filtering
  • Wildlife habitat
  • Landscaping


Does not grow well in the extreme Southeast or Southwest U.S.

Purchase Prairie Cordgrass

This product is sold by the Pure Live Seed (PLS) pound.

Product Details

Height Range: 60 - 84 inches
Seeding Rate: Broadcast: 1 PLS Lb. / 2,000 sq ft | Drilled: 10-12 PLS Lbs. / Ac
Seeds Per Pound: 150,000
Growing Season: Warm Season
Lifespan: Perennial
Planting Season: Spring
Winter/Dormant
Target Solution: Drought Tolerant
Sand Tolerant
Shade Tolerant
Full Sun
Erosion Control
High Elevation
Quick Establishment
Low Maintenance
Deer Resistant
Ideal for Birds
Ideal for Bees
All Purpose Solution
Use: Conservation
Ground Cover & Erosion Control
Landscape & Ornamental
Revegetation
Wildlife Habitat & Food
Multi-Purpose Use