Smooth sawgrass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smooth sawgrass |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cladium
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| Species: |
mariscoides
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Cladium mariscoides, often called smooth sawgrass, is a plant that grows naturally in eastern North America. You can find it in many parts of the United States and Canada. This plant loves wet places. It often grows along the edges of wetlands, like coastal salt marshes.
Where Does Smooth Sawgrass Grow?
Smooth sawgrass is found across a wide area. In the United States, it grows along the Gulf and Atlantic seashores. It is found in almost all these states, except Louisiana. It also grows in all the states around the Great Lakes. You can also find it in Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
In Canada, smooth sawgrass is present in most provinces. It does not grow in Alberta, British Columbia, or Prince Edward Island. This wide range shows how adaptable this plant is to different wet environments.
How Smooth Sawgrass Grows
Smooth sawgrass is a type of plant called a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It also means it does not have a woody stem like a tree or bush.
This plant spreads using special underground stems called rhizomes. Think of rhizomes like underground roots that can send up new plants. This helps the sawgrass form large groups.
Plant Parts
The main stems of smooth sawgrass are called culms. These culms can grow quite tall, up to 100 centimetres (39 in) (about 39 inches). That's almost as tall as some kids!
The leaves of this plant are very thin. They are less than 3 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) wide.
Flowers and Seeds
Smooth sawgrass produces small, chestnut-brown flower clusters. These clusters are called spikelets. The spikelets grow on a branched stem system called a panicle. This panicle has two levels of branching, making it look a bit like a small tree of flowers.
