Herbaceous Seepweed
Suaeda maritima
To survive high salinity, this plant stores salt in its leaf cells. When a leaf reaches its maximum salt capacity, it turns bright red and drops off, shedding excess sodium.
- Scientific name
- Suaeda maritima
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Amaranthaceae › Suaeda
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Salt marshes, coastal mudflats, estuaries, and saline sandy shores.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, absorbing nitrogen and minerals from saline soils).
- Range
- Atlantic coasts of North America, European coastlines, Mediterranean basin, Temperate Asian coasts
- Size
- 10 to 45 cm tall, sprawling or erect herb.
- Lifespan
- 1 year (annual)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Coastal development, salt marsh reclamation, pollution, and sea-level rise squeezing intertidal habitats.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This plant is edible with a salty flavor, often used in coastal salads. When observing, tread lightly to avoid damaging fragile salt marsh soils. Ensure the harvesting area is free from agricultural runoff or heavy metal pollution before tasting.
Suaeda maritima is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common names herbaceous seepweed and annual seablite . It is a yellow-green shrub with fleshy, succulent leaves and green flowers. It grows to about 35 cm in salt marshes....
Photo: ncueeleo, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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