Suaeda australis
austral seablite
Overview
Suaeda australis is a low, succulent subshrub of coastal saltmarshes, growing 8-40 inches (20-100 cm) tall with a spreading, much-branched habit. Stems are fleshy and become woody at the base, ranging from green to red or purple with salinity and sun exposure. Leaves are alternate, narrow, semi-cylindrical, and succulent, 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) long, blue-green to reddish, storing water and excluding salt. Flowers are minute, green, and inconspicuous, borne singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils from summer to autumn. The fruit is a small bladder enclosing a single glossy black seed about 0.04 inch (1 mm) across. The plant tolerates regular tidal inundation with saltwater and waterlogged, saline mud where few other species grow. Foliage colour shifts from blue-green in shade to deep red under high light and salt stress. Growth is moderate, and older plants build a sprawling woody framework. It forms part of the salt-tolerant vegetation that stabilises estuarine sediments.
Native Range
Suaeda australis is native to coastal Australia and New Zealand, with related populations across the Indo-Pacific. It grows in the upper and middle zones of saltmarshes, on estuarine mudflats, and along the landward edge of mangroves, in saline, periodically flooded soils from the tropics to cool temperate coasts.Suggested Uses
Suaeda australis is used in coastal and estuarine revegetation, saltmarsh restoration, and saline or tidal garden areas where ordinary plants fail, spaced 16-24 inches (40-60 cm) apart. The succulent foliage is edible and is harvested in small quantities as a salty vegetable. It grows in containers of at least 3 gallons (11 L) with consistently moist soil.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 3'4"
Width/Spread1'8" - 4'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
blue-green to redGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 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
Suaeda australis grows in full sun in saline, poorly drained soils and tolerates seawater inundation, conditions that exclude most plants. In cultivation it grows in heavy, moist soil and accepts brackish or salted water, and it also grows in ordinary garden soil kept moist. Salinity and strong light intensify the red leaf colour, while plants in shade or fresh water stay blue-green. It withstands coastal wind and salt spray. Few pests or diseases affect it. Plants are cut back when they become open and woody, which encourages denser regrowth.Pruning
Stems are cut back by up to one-third in late winter to limit the open, woody framework that develops with age and to bring on fresh succulent growth. Plants tolerate hard pruning into older wood. Pruning is not needed for the plant survival.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons