Seasonal Wild Flowers

Sea-heath

Frankenia laevis

Frankeniaceae

July to August

Native plants grows from the wash round to Hampshire.

The introduced plant is found from Dorset round to the

Severn estuary.

See the BSBI distribution map for Sea-heath

It grows on saltmarshes and where saltmarshes and

sand dunes meet, and less commonly on shingle

beaches and chalk sea-cliffs.

Sea-heath is a perennial, low-growing, patch-forming,

native herb growing up to 15cm.

Flowers are small (5mm), with 5 pink, slightly crenate

petals.

There are 6 stamens with yellow anthers and the

style has a 3-lobed stigma.

Leaves are up to 4mm long, fat and fleshy.

They, and the stems, are often tinged with purple -

hence the purple patch in the first picture.

Previous page: Sea Aster
Next page: Sea Knotgrass

Large patch of Sea-heath,

West Bay, Dorset

Flowers and leaves

5 pink slightly crenate petals, 6 stamens

3- lobed stigma, withered stamens (protandrous)

Whorls of fleshy leaves