Fauna
Flower

European Searocket

Cakile maritima

Also known as Sea Rocket, European Sea-Rocket, Common Sea Rocket

European searocket colonizes upper beach driftlines and sandy dunes, where few other plants can survive the salt spray and shifting sands. Thick succulent leaves store fresh water while small pale lavender or white blossoms attract pollinators throughout the warm summer months. Its segmented corky seed pods break apart and float across ocean currents, establishing new colonies along distant shorelines.

CoastalSucculentBeach Dweller
European Searocket reference
(c) Jürgen Howaldt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil Minerals
Predators
  • Coastal Herbivores
  • Beach Beetles
  • Aphids
ThreatsCoastal development, shoreline stabilization, beach grooming
HabitatsCoastal dunes, sandy beaches, maritime bluffs, strandlines
Life spanAnnual (1 year)
Classification
  1. OrderBrassicales
  2. FamilyBrassicaceae
  3. GenusCakile
  4. SpeciesCakile maritima
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Observation: Look for fleshy leaves and four-petaled lavender flowers along upper driftlines.
  • Habitat Respect: Stay on established coastal paths to avoid eroding fragile sand dunes.
  • Identification: Examine the corky two-jointed fruits designed to float away in seawater.
Related species
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