Dunegrass, caught between the inhospitable sea on one side and a sea of beachgrass on the other, finds breathing room on the backshore.
That’s the way it feels. A perennial grass, living in the space between, Leymus (Elymus) mollis, is the native dunegrass of coastal Pacific Northwest foredunes. Supplanted by beachgrass, Ammophila arenaria, L. mollis no longer fits. It’s hard to pick out in the press of beachgrass on the foredune, but go seaward, down on the backshore, you’ll find pioneering clumps of Leymus mollis. The solution isn’t foolproof because the backshore is a chaotic place; it gets knocked around and sometimes washed clean by winter’s high tides and surf. Any encounter with Leymus mollis on the backshore is evidence of its resilience.
Note: The foredune in the background is a near monoculture of beachgrass, Ammophila arenaria. I’m not a botanist, but I’m pretty sure the dunegrass featured in foreground is L. mollis and my story is fundamentally correct. But the history of dunegrasses is complicated, so there may be other interpretations. If you have one I hope you’ll let me know.
theoutershores 
A lovely celebration of a neglected, but tough little plant.
It’s my little tribute. Thanks!
PS – I was just looking through your landscape shots on your Resilient post, the one with the spider web, I like those frosty scenes a lot.
Thank you. I wish we had more frosty days like that.
I love the angle of the shot, with the grass in the foreground!
Yeah, I like it too. I had to get down on the sand for that angle. I had hoped for something similar that showed the surf in the background, but I guess I’ve done quite a lot of that. This one worked. I’ve been thinking about these pioneering backshore plants for a while, so I’ll get more chances. I always appreciate your thoughts. Thanks for taking time to jot them down.
Your blog is pretty unique, I’ve not come across another that’s devoted to the shore, and your knowledge and expertise make it even better. 🦀🐢🐟