FLOWERS OF THE SEASHORE
Because of the great variety of leaf shapes and sizes, it is usually desirable to have the flower for conclusive identification of seashore plants. As an aid, the following species are listed by color.
White Flowers
Blunt-leaved Sandwort (Arenaria lateriflora)
Very thin stem and leaves Flowers ¼″ wide
This very attractive flower is seldom found at any distance from water’s edge. Usually it grows in the moist sand of fresh-water pools, just above water level. On close examination you will find the leaves quite hairy, almost downy. The flowers are mounted at the tips of long stalks. They appear early in the spring, about May, and blooming is over by June.
Sea Milkwort (Glaux maritima)
Flowers are very small, at base of leaf Thick central stalk Leaves small, fleshy, and crowded
This is one of the most common beach plants, and is seldom found away from salty soil. It grows in the salt marshes and on the beach, starting its flowering in June and continuing throughout the summer.
Red or Purple Flowers
Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus)
Flowers are in clusters Branches end in twining tendrils Leaflets small, toothless, and numerous
Anyone who has seen a garden pea will recognize the Beach Pea, which is similar to but smaller than its cousin. The purple flowers are seen from May throughout the summer, and the peas are found in late summer. These peas are edible, though not particularly delicious. You will notice that Beach Pea stems are angular in cross section—a further clue to identification.
Beach Pinweed (Lechea maritima)
Fruit very tiny, berry-like Leaves tiny and narrow
Pinweed is a plant of sandy soils. Often it is found growing alone on a patch of barren sand. It flowers throughout July and August. Its stem is so very woody and tough that it may easily be mistaken for a tiny, stunted tree.
Sea Lavender (Limonium nashii)
Large leaves, grow only from base of plant Flowers numerous, small, on long stalks
The Sea Lavender goes by a great variety of names: “Beach Heather” and “Marsh Rosemary” are the most common. It is not a true dune dweller, for it is more often found in marshy spots; but it is a typical seaside plant. Its flowers are delicately fragrant. Amazingly enough, you may find Sea Lavender completely submerged in salt water during periods of high tide.
Yellow Flowers
Woolly Hudsonia (Hudsonia tomentosa)
Tiny scale-like leaves Very woolly, hairy Almost mosslike appearance
The Hudsonia is sometimes called a “False Heather” and surely reminds one of the moors. It is found in dense mats on the dunes, and when in bloom covers the sand with a bright yellow carpet. The flowers are borne in May and June and open only in sunlight. Any attempt to uproot the plant will merely break it off at the base, for the roots are extremely long and spread over many square yards.
Dusty Miller (Artemisia stelleriana)
Leaves hairy, white, and velvety to the touch Leaf with many fingerlike lobes
You don’t need to see its flowers to identify Dusty Miller. Its heavy “wool” coat makes identification easy by feel alone. The flowers form dense clusters during July and August.
Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)
Tall plant with large leaves Heads crowded together on drooping stem Individual heads bushy
Everyone is familiar with Goldenrod, but few realize that there are more than a hundred species, some of them very specific as to where they live. The Seaside Goldenrod is the only common species found on beaches or in marshes with salty soil.
Green or Brown Flowers
Beach Clotbur (Xanthium echinatum)
Large, ragged leaves Covered with short, rough hairs Heads are burrlike
The heads of this weedy plant, like those of the Burdock, are covered with curved spines easily attaching to the fur or clothing of passers-by. The burrs come late in the summer, during August or September.
Glasswort (Salicornia europaea)
Plant is without leaves Fleshy, jointed stems
Glasswort, a plant of the salt marsh, requires quantities of salt water. It is easily identified by its leafless stem, which looks like a string of sausages. In autumn these succulent stems turn a bright red, adding an attractive flash of color to the dying plants around them. Glasswort stems take in great quantities of salt, which you will taste if you chew one.