Sesuvium spp.
sea-purslanes
Tropical and subtropical coasts worldwide
Overview
Sesuvium spp. is a genus of about 8-12 species of succulent, mat-forming herbs in the family Aizoaceae, found on tropical and subtropical coasts around the world. Plants are prostrate to weakly ascending, with fleshy, often reddish stems that root at the nodes and spread into low mats 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) high but several feet across. The opposite leaves are smooth, thick, and water-storing, 0.4-3 inches (1-7 cm) long, narrow to spoon-shaped, and frequently flushed red in strong sun or salt. Small star-shaped flowers 0.3-0.8 inch (8-20 mm) across open singly in the leaf axils, with five pointed lobes that are pink, purple, or white inside and greenish outside. Sesuvium spp. is strongly salt-tolerant and grows on beaches, dunes, salt flats, mangrove margins, and disturbed saline ground, including S. portulacastrum, a pantropical pioneer used to stabilize shifting sand. Plants are frost-tender and grow only in warm climates. The spreading habit roots as it goes and can overrun small beds, the main drawback in cultivation.
Native Range
Native to tropical and subtropical coasts worldwide, including the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and many oceanic islands; S. portulacastrum in particular is pantropical. Plants grow on sandy beaches, dunes, salt marshes, salt flats, and mangrove edges, in full sun on saline, sharply drained ground.Suggested Uses
Used as a salt-tolerant groundcover for coastal banks, dunes, and beachside gardens, for erosion control on sandy or saline ground, and as a trailing plant in containers and hanging baskets. S. portulacastrum is planted to stabilize shifting sand and is grown as an edible, samphire-like leaf in some regions. Plants are spaced 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'
Width/Spread2' - 5'
Bloom Information
In warm coastal climates Sesuvium spp. can flower nearly year-round, with peaks in the warmer and wetter months. Each small flower opens for a short period, often closing in dull weather. Flowering and fruiting overlap, so flowers and seed capsules are present together for much of the year.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pink, purple, or whiteFoliage Description
green to red, fleshyGrowing 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
Sesuvium spp. are grown in full sun in sandy, sharply drained soil and tolerate salt, heat, drought, and poor fertility better than most plants. Water is given moderately in growth and kept low otherwise, as the fleshy tissue holds reserves and rots in cold, wet soil. The genus is frost-tender, suited to roughly USDA zones 9b-11. Propagation is easy from stem cuttings, which root quickly at the nodes, or from seed. Plants spread fast and may need containing, and they decline where drainage is poor. In cool regions they are grown as annuals or in containers.Pruning
Pruning is limited to trimming back the trailing stems to keep mats within bounds, which can be done at any time in the growing season. Cut pieces root readily if left on moist soil. Frost-damaged growth is cut away once new shoots appear.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing