(i) St. Augustine Grass [Stenotaphrum secundatvon] . This is 

 a turf grass similar in habit and requirements to the turf-type Bermuda 

 grasses. It is adapted to coastal conditions from about the southern 

 one-quarter of the North Carolina coast southward. It can be substi- 

 tuted for turf- type Bermuda grass. 



(j) Others . Spanish bayonet {Yucaa aloi folia) grows well 

 throughout the region and is useful as a windbreak. Sea grape {Coaaotoba 

 uvifera) is widely planted in central and south Florida as an ornamental 

 windbreak. 



(3) Gulf Region . 



(a) Bitter Panicum . Bitter panicum plays a similar role 

 on the gulf coast to that of American beachgrass on the North and mid- 

 Atlantic coasts. It is easy to propagate and multiply under nursery 

 conditions and transplants readily into the beach and dune habitat. It 

 is the best plant available for initial stabilization of windblown sand 

 in this region. 



Bitter panicum was nearly eliminated by grazing from much of the gulf 

 coast long ago because it is highly palatable to livestock (Dahl, et al., 

 1975). However, this problem has been reduced and the plant has in- 

 creased in recent years. It has no known serious pests but as its use 

 expands, the probability of a buildup of a damaging insect or disease 

 will increase. For this reason, other species such as sea oats should 

 be incorporated in bitter panicum plantings. 



1^ Planting Methods . This grass may be planted in 

 either an upright position or horizontally. It readily forms new shoots 

 from buried nodes (joints) so horizontal planting, theoretically, results 

 in more new plants per unit of planting stock. However, Dahl, et al. 

 (1975) compared the two methods on Padre Island and found upright plant- 

 ing preferable where there was substantial sand movement. There was con- 

 siderable risk of exposure by erosion or excessive burial of transplants 

 by sand deposition with the horizontal method. Plants set upright, 20 

 to 30 centimeters deep, are less likely to be uncovered and blown out or 

 buried too deep. The horizontal method may be used with very long stems 

 in protected areas. 



Bitter panicum plants are set by hand on sites that are too small, 

 too rough or too steep for mechanized operations. Machine planting is 

 done on larger, smoother sites with tractor-drawn transplanters of the 

 type used to set crop plants such as tobacco, tomato, and cabbage. 



Hand planting is done most efficiently by two-man teams. One man 

 opens the hole with a shovel or dibble while the second inserts the plant 

 and firms the sand around it. Both one- and two-row transplanters are 

 used for machine planting. A one-row transplanter requires a four-man 

 team; a two-row machine requires a six-man team for efficient operation. 



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