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COMMON NAME: Salt Marsh Hay
OTHER COMMON NAME(S):
Highwater Cordgrass, Salt Meadow Hay
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Spartina patens
FAMILY: Poaceae
COMMUNITY: Tidal Marsh
STATUS: Native
LIFESPAN: Perennial
HEIGHT: 2 to 3 Feet
FLOWERING TIME: Early July to late September
FRUITING TIME: Late July to late September
DISTRIBUTION: Throughout coastal strip and up large fresh and brackish
rivers in New Jersey
IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS:
Inflorescence spike 1-3 inches long ~ Leaves enrolled and very narrow
~ Slender rhizomes ~ New growth from last years clums (stems) ~ Lies flat
and matted
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Spartine is the Greek word for cord and refers to the stout stem of plants
in the genus (Spartina). Salt
Marsh Hay flourishes in marshes that irregularly flood with brackish water;
thus, it is found on higher ground that Salt Marsh Cordgrass (Spartina
alterniflora). Because of its nutritional value, it is an essential
part of the salt marsh ecological
habitat. Salt hay farming
became a prominent industry in New Jersey during Colonial times because
of its multiple uses and its resistance to rot.
The industry grew in popularity because salt hay not required little
cultivation and it could be harvested twice a year.
Farmers cut salt hay using a scythe or a horse-powered mowing machine
and let it dry for a week before shipping.
Market price in 1900 for salt hay was about $5 per ton, compared
to $3 per ton in 1835. By 1955, the market price surged to $16 to $25
per ton, but the industry began to decline.
Eventually, many salt-hay farmers went out of business.
The farmers who harvested Salt
Marsh Hay had to wear heavy clothing to protect them from mosquitoes and
greenhead flies. The heads of horses
that pulled the mowing machines had to be covered and horses were also
outfitted with enlarged mud boots to keep them from getting stuck in the
marshes. Since the plant will not
germinate in the absence of salt, Salt Marsh Hay is used today for erosion
control at construction sites, drainage in dry-well construction and septic
tanks, bulkhead construction, mulch in gardens and landscaping.
Please note:
While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State
Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not
damage vegetation or go off designated trails.
This information is presented for educational purposes.
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