Suaeda vera
shrubby seablite
Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe, North Africa, and south-west Asia
Overview
Suaeda vera, shrubby sea-blite, is a small evergreen halophytic shrub in the family Amaranthaceae, reaching 12-47 inches (30-120 cm) tall with a dense, rounded to spreading, much-branched habit. The woody lower stems carry crowded, fleshy, semi-cylindrical blue-green to glaucous leaves 0.2-0.7 inch (5-18 mm) long that store water and salt, an adaptation to its saline habitat. Tiny five-parted greenish flowers about 0.1 inch (2-3 mm) across sit singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils from summer into autumn and are wind-pollinated. The fruit is a small flattened seed enclosed by the fleshy perianth. It grows on the drier upper zones of coastal salt marshes, shingle banks, and sea walls, where it withstands salt spray, occasional tidal flooding, and sharp drainage. Unlike the annual Suaeda maritima, this species is woody and persists for many years, holding its foliage through winter. One limitation is its intolerance of hard frost in inland gardens and of acidic, waterlogged soils away from the coast.
Native Range
Suaeda vera grows along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe and North Africa, extending to the Black Sea and south-west Asia. In Britain it is restricted to the upper salt marshes and shingle of southern and eastern England.Suggested Uses
Planted in coastal and gravel gardens, on sea walls, and in saline or wind-exposed sites where few shrubs persist, spaced about 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) apart. It also stabilises the upper margins of salt marsh and shingle.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'11"
Width/Spread2' - 4'
Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years
Colors
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
blue-green to glaucousGrowing 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
Suaeda vera grows in full sun on sharply drained sandy or shingly soils and tolerates high salinity, coastal winds, and salt spray. It needs free-draining ground and fails on heavy, waterlogged, or strongly acidic soils. Established plants are markedly drought- and salt-tolerant and need no feeding. It is hardy in roughly USDA zones 7 to 10 and may be damaged by hard frost in exposed inland sites. Light trimming in spring keeps the bush dense. It is raised from seed sown in autumn or from semi-ripe cuttings.Pruning
Light trimming in early to mid spring removes frost-damaged shoot tips and keeps the habit compact. Older specimens can be cut back into younger wood to renovate leggy growth. Heavy pruning into bare old stems gives slow, unreliable regrowth.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early spring
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons