Poaceae
Water couch
Sporobolus virginicus
Also known as Vilfa tremula, Vilfa matrella, Vilfa muhlenbergii, Paspalum grass
Zones 5–9Sun Full SunWater HighCare Moderate
Tropical Plants · Native Plants · Coastal · Salt · Tolerant · Erosion · Control · Wetland · Specialized · Marine · Grass
Pet-safeTropicalAttracts pollinators
Currently out of stock everywhereStock updated 9/6/2026
Water couch is a salt-tolerant coastal grass that requires consistently moist to wet conditions. It's ideal for erosion control in coastal areas and can tolerate salt spray. This specialized grass needs specific growing conditions to thrive.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Keep soil consistently moist to wet · Every 3-5 days
- Maintenance
- Moderate
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6–8
- Temperature
- -20°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
Hardiness
USDA 5a-9b
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Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 18 in – 3 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Spacing
- 8 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Green · Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alabama, Aldabra, Andaman Is., Angola, Aruba, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Cambodia, Cape Provinces, Cape Verde, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Chagos Archipelago
- Attracts
- Birds
Sources: trefle, usda
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