Eelgrass

Eelgrass Zostera marina Photo:

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a grass-like flowering plant native to specific salt-water habitats of the Pacific Northwest. Zostera japonica is an introduced species of eelgrass. Z. japonica is a favorite food for Brants (geese that spend the winter in Washington State.)

Key Characteristics

• Z. marina has long green leaves with thin, parallel edges and 3 main veins running lengthwise. Z. japonica is shorter and its leaves look like dark, green spaghetti.
• Z. marina leaves may reach up to a meter in length.
• Z. marina flowers are very inconspicuous and bloom early spring and summer.

Eelgrass grows on muddy and sandy bottoms in protected areas of the estuary. Z. marina is usually found in the deeper parts of the intertidal zone.

• prevents soil and mud erosion
• provides food and shelter for marine animals
  • Many estuarine organisms attach themselves to the leaves to stay off the silty bottom and to be in a good position to grab food floating between the leaves.
• provides recyclable nutrients from their decaying leaves