Seasonal Wild Flowers

Common Glasswort

Salicornia europaea

Marsh Samphire

Amaranthaceae

August to September

It is found patchily round the coast.

See the BSBI distribution map for Common Glasswort

It grows mainly on saltmarshes and other muddy places

intermittantly covered in seawater.

Common Glasswort is a native, annual, succulent marine

herb growing up to 50cm (usually much shorter).

The 3 triangular flowers are green, of equal size

and in the axils of the leaves.

There are 2 stamens per flower (picture 6).

The leaves are scale-like, in opposite pairs, and

fused round the stem to form the succulent segment.

They are mainly green, but may turn brown or purple

towards the end of the season, when they are

difficult to distinguish from Purple Glass wort.

Common Glasswort is edible, either cooked or raw.

Common Glasswort on a saltmarsh

On shingle

Branched stem, leaves and flowers

Tiny green flowers with yellow stamens

Leaves with 3 equal-sized flowers in nodes

Close-up of stamens and flowers

Fused, opposite leaves enveloping the stems