Salicornia quinqueflora
beaded samphire
Coastal southern and eastern Australia, New Zealand
Overview
Salicornia quinqueflora, also treated as Sarcocornia quinqueflora, is a low, succulent, mat-forming perennial of coastal saltmarshes, growing 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) tall and spreading 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) wide. The jointed, fleshy stems are leafless, the leaves reduced to small fused scales that sheath each segment, giving a beaded appearance. Stems are bright green through the growing season and flush red, orange, or purple in response to salinity, cold, or drying. Tiny flowers, usually in groups of three, are sunk into the upper stem joints in summer and autumn and are barely visible. Prostrate stems root where they contact moist saline mud, forming spreading colonies. Growth is moderate, with mats extending over several seasons. The plant is a halophyte, drawing on salty groundwater, and tolerates regular tidal inundation. The young stems are edible and eaten as a salty vegetable. It does not persist in ordinary non-saline garden soil and declines without periodic salt and moisture.
Native Range
Native to coastal saltmarshes, estuaries, and tidal flats around southern and eastern Australia and New Zealand. Grows in saline, periodically flooded mud and sand in the upper and middle tidal zones, often with other salt-tolerant herbs.Suggested Uses
Grown in coastal and saltmarsh restoration, in rain gardens receiving saline runoff, and as a groundcover in tidal and estuarine landscapes. Used in containers of saline, moisture-retentive mix where ordinary garden soil is unsuitable. The young shoots are harvested as an edible salty vegetable.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'
Width/Spread1' - 3'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Tiny flowers appear in summer and autumn, roughly December to April, embedded in the stem segments. The flowers have no petals and are wind-pollinated, so flowering is inconspicuous. Reddening of the stems in autumn is more visible than the flowers themselves.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
green, inconspicuousFoliage Description
green, reddening in stressGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun in saline, wet to waterlogged soils and tolerates regular tidal flooding with salt or brackish water. It requires salt in the root zone and declines in ordinary fresh garden soil. Established mats spread by rooting stems and need little attention in suitable saltmarsh conditions. The plant withstands light frost but is damaged by hard freezes. Few pests affect it. Drying out of the root zone causes stems to shrivel and die back.Pruning
No routine pruning is needed. Dead or frost-damaged stems can be trimmed in spring as new growth appears. Trodden or cut stems regrow from the spreading base.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
spring
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons