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Inland Saltgrass (Distichlis stricta)

Plant Species
From Montana Interagency Plant Materials Handbook *
 By S. Smoliak, R.L. Ditterline, J.D. Scheetz, L.K. Holzworth, J.R. Sims, L.E. Wiesner, D.E. Baldridge, and G.L. Tibke

Description

Inland saltgrass is a native, perennial, warm-season, sod-forming short grass with vigorous, creeping, scaley underground stems. The rather stiff leaf blades are sharp, folded or inrolled for part of their length. There are both female and male plants. Male spikelets eight- to 15-flowered are from 3/8 to 1 inch long. The female spikelets are mostly seven- or nine-flowered from 1/4 to 5/8 inch long.

Adaptation

This straw-colored, short grass grows on the margins of salty or alkaline areas in all states west of the Mississippi River, from Saskatchewan, Canada to Texas. Dense, pure stands of inland saltgrass are found on shallow water table areas, but most often it grows with other salt-tolerant grasses such as alkali sacaton and prairie cordgrass.

Limitations

Other than its foliage being rather harsh and tough for good pasturage, inland saltgrass does not produce an appreciable amount of seed. Therefore, it has to be established vegetatively by sodding.

Use for Hay

On good sites this grass is cut for hay and yields from 1/2 to 1 ton per acre.

Use for Pasture

Inland saltgrass has little forage value, but is grazed when better grasses are not available. This grass begins growth in April and seed stalks appear 6 to 12 inches high from July to September. It is rather harsh and tough for good pasturage, but is grazed during early growth stages when it is more palatable to livestock. Growing where it does, on subirrigated alkali flats or near seeps and springs, inland saltgrass can generally be used to best advantage during the spring and fall drought periods when most upland grasses are dry. This short grass sod protects itself from overuse by growing close to the ground and increases fast as the better grasses are damaged by close grazing.

* The Montana Interagency Plant Materials Handbook (EB69) is no longer in print, but is available for viewing in
Montana County Extension Service and National Resource Conservation Service Offices.