ALM Note: Sustainable Water Management: Ocean Water for TURF!
A turf grass that can be irrigated with ocean water
Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) is a prostrate-growing, rhizomatous, stoloniferous grass that resembles bermudagrass. It can be cut very short to 3mm. Seashore paspalum has a darker green color than most bermuda grasses when mowed at the same height as the bermuda. The leaves have a heavy wax load on them that gives the appearance of a glistening, shiny green lustre.
The appearance resembles Kentucky bluegrass and the grass has a similar pattern of striping. If irrigation scheduling is infrequent and of sufficient volumes to promote deep rooting the grass will be responsive with deeper rooting. This may reflect it’s reported tolerance of de-oxgenated soils including waterlogged conditions. It reportedly loves, boggy areas. The grass has air pockets in the roots that allows it to persist in low oxygen situations.
