Plant · GBIF taxon 3083541
Herbaceous Seepweed
Suaeda maritimaAlso known as Annual Seablite, White Sea-blite, Sea Blite
Herbaceous seepweed is a fleshy, salt-tolerant annual that carpets tidal salt marshes and saline coastal shores across the Northern Hemisphere. Its succulent, cylindrical leaves store water and actively accumulate mineral salts, gradually turning from vibrant glaucous green to striking shades of crimson and purple as autumn approaches. By stabilizing shifting mud and sandy estuarine flats, it plays a vital pioneering role in coastal wetland succession.
HalophyteCoastalSucculent
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthesis
Predators
- Brent Goose
- Canada Goose
- Herbivorous Marsh Beetles
ThreatsCoastal development, wetland drainage, shoreline armoring, and sea level rise
HabitatsSalt marshes, coastal mudflats, saline depressions, and sandy shores
Life span1 growing season (annual)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyAmaranthaceae
- GenusSuaeda
- SpeciesSuaeda maritima
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Seasonal Timing: Visit in late summer to autumn to see the foliage transition from green to vivid crimson.
- Tread Lightly: Stick to designated marsh boardwalks to avoid trampling sensitive tidal mud communities.
- Botanical Observation: Use a hand lens to view the tiny, petal-less green flowers clustered along leaf axils.
Frequent Companion Marco Schmidt [1] / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Competitor Wikimedia Commons / Public domain · cc0
Frequent Companion Meneerke bloem / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · cc-by
Same Family Wikimedia Commons / Public domain · cc0
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