Practical
Plants

Glaux maritima

Black Saltwort

a perennial member of the Glaux genus in the family Primulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Glaux
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young shoots - raw or pickled[6][7][1]. Roots - cooked[4]. (This report refers to the sub-species G. maritima obtusifolia[4].) The roots can be harvested at almost any time of the year. The North American Indians would boil them for a long time before eating them. Even so, eating the roots was considered to make one sleepy and eating too many of them could make one nauseous[4].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Some native North American Indians ate the boiled roots to induce sleep[3][5].

Product or use
Sedative

Environment

Range
Coasts and inland saline areas in most parts of the northern temperate zone, including Britain.
Habitat
Grassy salt marshes, crevices of rocks, the foot of cliffs near the sea and saline districts inland[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed it should be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in situ in mid spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils. Dislikes shade.

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  3. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

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  4. Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  6. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  7. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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