Common Name: Beach Grass

General Information

Ammophila breviligulata is a perennial, clump-forming grass with elongated rhizomes that spread to form large colonies. The culms are erect or ascending, 70 - 100cm long.
The plant is extensively used to stabilize sand dunes by the coast.
The plant has a deep, strong and extensively creeping rhizome, it can become invasive when growing in suitable conditions[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to North Carolina and on the shores of the Great Lakes

Habitat

Coastal sand dunes[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.80 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the temperate zone, where it is found at elevations around sea level. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 9 - 18°c, but can tolerate 2 - 25°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -10°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,000mm, but tolerates 600 - 1,200mm[].
Requires a sunny position in a light well-drained soil, tolerating moderate salinity. Very tolerant of severe maritime exposure. Established plants are drought tolerant[].Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The extensive root system of this plant makes it useful for planting on sand dunes etc for the control of soil erosion[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Division