Paspalum notatum Seeds | Bahia Grass
LATIN NAME: Paspalum notatum
COMMON NAME: Bahia Grass
Plant Profile
Bahia Grass (Paspalum notatum) is a low, creeping, perennial in the grass family. In pastures and roadsides of warm world, bahia grass grows as a low, creeping, perennial grass with broad, flat, grey-green leaves and two to four slender, erect, V-shaped seed heads that rise above mat in the summer. It spreads by short rhizomes and seed into a tough, dense turf, and it stands heat, drought and poor, sandy soils well. Give it full sun and ordinary, well-drained ground. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Paspalum notatum ranges from the botany of the grass family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Bahiagrass has a genuine and distinguished place in both agricultural and ecological research. It retains a following among breeders and collectors, which keeps seed stocks in circulation.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Bahia Grass has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Ecologically, bahiagrass is a hardy grass of warm lands. Its tough, creeping tufts hold soil of warm, dry and sandy lands, and its distinctive flower heads feed insects and small birds, while it is a valued presence in pastures, lawns and roadsides of the warm Americas. Getting it going is easy; keeping it going is easier still.
Paspalum grasses are salt-tolerant turf and forage of warm coasts, valued for holding sandy ground.
Growing from Seed
Raising Bahia Grass from seed is straightforward. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in full sun until the seedlings are well up. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
The medicinal tradition behind this species, outlined above, is a large part of its interest. Bahia Grass is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Start with fresh seed, keep it evenly moist, and the plant does the rest itself.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Bahia Grass often pair it with these related subjects: