Sand Storm

Photo by Michael Kight

Sea Oats

• a fitting name for a grass that grows along coastal areas
• this hardy Poacean (member of the grass family) is extremely drought tolerant
• and is capable of growing along the salty seashore
• it can even tolerate the occasional salt laden inundation
• from Virginia to Florida, along the Gulf states
• and throughout Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas
• sea oats are planted as coast line protectors

Photo by Keoni Cabral

• their lengthy root systems function to hold sand in place during tropical storms and hurricanes
• so as to prevent massive erosion that would otherwise occur
• this grass is also capable of catching blowing sand
• to help build up coastal dunes building
• which makes the dune system much more stable
• it’s tough to get sand to stay in one place, but the sea oats seem to have a good strategy
• sea oats take little to no care after being planted and there are no known pests or potential problems with this species
• so it’s basically a coastal conservationist’s dream plant
• sea oats help us humans too
• because sand dunes can act as natural barriers to flooding during testy weather
• if you’re walking along the beach and want to thank our grassy friends and address them by their scientific name,Unioloa paniculata
• they’ll likely appreciate the formal sincerity

Likely they won’t, because as far as we know, grasses are not sentient. If they were, mowing your lawn would be a bit more of a moral struggle. But even if the sea oats can’t feel our gratitude, we should still express it. This plant is necessary to coastal ecosystems all around the world and deserves a bit of thanks.