Ruppia maritima

Ditch grass

Family: Ruppiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Ditch grass is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, southwestern San Joaquin Valley, central western, southern coastal, and Channel Islands regions in brackish or saline waters, marshes, ponds, and sloughs at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from March to August, this aquatic plant produces small, subtle flowers characteristic of submersed aquatic vegetation. Growing with slender, elongated underwater stems that branch and spread through rhizomes, it forms dense underwater meadows in shallow marine and brackish environments. Its thin, linear leaves are translucent green, emerging directly from the stem and floating or submerged in water. The plant reproduces effectively in dynamic coastal and estuarine habitats, adapting to changing salinity and water conditions.

Habitat: Brackish or saline waters, often coastal, marshes, ponds, sloughs

Bloom period: Mar-Aug

Elevation: < 600 m

Bioregions: NCo, sw SnJV (Soda Lake, San Luis Obispo Co.), CW, SCo, ChI

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.