Eelgrass

Zostera marina

Eelgrass has a thick, creeping rhizome with:

• Many roots and nodes.
• Ribbon-like leaves with rounded tips grow alternately from the nodes.
• Leaves can grow to 4 feet long, but vary in size depending on the plant's location.
• The base of each leaf has a tube-shaped sheath that is wider than the leaf itself.

Where does eelgrass grow?

Eelgrass is found in the middle and lower Bay, south of the Eastern Shore's Honga River. It can grow in a variety of areas, from shallow and sandy to deep and muddy bottoms.

How does eelgrass reproduce?

Asexual reproduction occurs when rhizomes elongate and winter buds (called turions) form.

Eelgrass can also reproduce sexually:

• Flowers form in May and June.
• Female flowers are fertilized by drifting pollen and develop into shoots that contain seeds.
• The shoots eventually break off, float to the surface and release their seeds.

Other facts about eelgrass:

• Can be confused with wild celery. You can distinguish eelgrass by its narrower leaves, which grow alternately along the branches. Also, wild celery grows mostly in fresh water, while eelgrass is found in the saltier waters of the lower Bay.
• Part of its scientific name, Zostera, means "belt" in Greek. This refers to the plant's ribbon-like appearance.
• Eelgrass provides important habitat for pipefish, seahorses and blue crabs, which use eelgrass beds as nursery areas and for protection while molting and mating. Eelgrass is also a major food source for waterfowl and sea turtles.