Practical
Plants

Suaeda maritima

Sea Blite

an annual member of the Suaeda genus in the family Chenopodiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Suaeda
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.3 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Wind, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind, Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - raw or cooked[5][1][3]. A pleasant salty flavour, they make a nice addition in small quantities to a salad[K]. They are often mixed with other vegetables in order to reduce their saltiness[4]. The young shoots are pickled in vinegar and eaten on their own or used as a relish[4]. Seed - raw or cooked.

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Material uses

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

The ashes of the plant provide a soda that is used in making glass and soap[6].

Product or use
Potash

Environment

Range
European coasts and saline areas inland, south from Norway to eastern Asia, E. Indies, N. America.
Habitat
Salt marshes and sea shores, usually below the high water mark of spring tides[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline, very 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 situ.

Cultivation

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

Dislikes shade. See the plants native habitat for other ideas on its cultivation needs.

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. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  6. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩

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