All native plants

A LITTLE MORE LIFE

ʻAkiʻaki

Sporobolus virginicus

Spreading native grass helps protect exposed coastal soil.

ʻAkiʻaki (Sporobolus virginicus)
Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 us

MAKE IT FEEL AT HOME

A spot to thrive.

Give its rhizomes room; it is not a close-mown turf substitute. Water until established.

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry soil / Average moisture
Mature size
Under 1–2½ ft tall · 2–10+ ft wide
Season of interest
Year-round grass texture
Local climate
Choose by island, elevation, and rainfall.
Garden role
A spreading coastal grass

ONE GOOD SWAP

Instead of maiden grass.

Miscanthus sinensis

Try ʻakiʻaki for a spreading coastal grass.

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NATIVE TO YOUR PLACE

Find it in your state guide.

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Dig a little deeper.

Photo credits & licenses

ʻAkiʻaki: Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 us
Maiden grass: Jim Janke · CC BY 4.0

Resized, converted to WebP, and cropped in the layout. Each photo retains its listed license. All photo credits