Most of the sand dunes in this area occur north and south of Bandon. Since the establishment and subsequent naturalization of European beachgrass this habitat has decreased as the width and height of the foredune has increased. Vegetation on beaches is generally low in species richness and plant cover. Many of these species are early colonizers which begin sand stabilization. Seed production is typically low as the majority of these species disperse by rhizomes or stolons.
Seed dispersal is primarily by wind and possibly by tides.
Yellow sand-verbena fruits have small wings which aid in dispersal along the beach. The foredune consisted of rounded mounds caused by the native sand stabilizing plant species. Very few of these low, mounded foredunes remain along this section of coast, with the exception at river mouths, such as New River. European beachgrass deserves special attention due to its impact on vegetation along the Pacific Coast. Extensive plantings occurred on the Oregon coast from the 1930s to 1950s.