The currently accepted scientific name for prairie cordgrass is Spartina pectinata Link. Walkup, C. J. 1991. The wet prairie is highly productive for agriculture, and remnants are uncommon today. Prairie cordgrass provides fair to poor forage for livestock and wildlife. It is seldom grazed because of the large amount of standing litter produced and the boggy areas in which it grows.
Prairie cordgrass has great ability to stabilize soil and prevent water erosion.
Steep streambanks lined with prairie cordgrass allow little if any soil to be removed, even when streams run bank full during heavy rains. Moderate soil deposits will injure this grass much less than other species. Native Americans used prairie cordgrass for thatching lodges. Prairie cordgrass is often cut for hay before it becomes coarse. Cutting two or three times a year prevents coarseness.