Zostera marina
Eel Grass
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Zosteraceae
- Genus
- Zostera
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 1 m
- Fertility
- Water
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Water
Uses
Edible uses
Leaves - raw or cooked[4][7]. The leaf bases are crisp and sweet, they were often used as a feast food by the native North American Indians[7]. Seed[4]. No more details are given. The root of the plant is chewed for its saccharine juice[5][2]. The root is crisp and sweet, it was used as a flavouring by the native North American Indians and was also dried for winter food[7]. The raw rhizomes were often used as a feast food[7].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
- Plant part
- Seed
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.
The leaves are used in the treatment of dropsy, goitre and women's illnesses[6].
- Product or use
- Women's complaints
Material uses
The dried leaves and stems are used as a packing material[8][9][10][1]. The plant is frequently used as a manure[5].
- Product or use
- Compost
- Product or use
- Packing
Environment
- Range
- Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to the Mediterranean.
- Habitat
- Fine gravel, sand or mud in the sea from low water spring tides down to depths of 4 metres[3]. It is rarely found in estuaries[3].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- aquatic
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
- Salinity
- tolerant
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Division.
Cultivation
A plant of shallow sea water, it is not really suitable for normal cultivation.
References
Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2