Suaeda californica

California seablite

Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

California seablite is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in the Central Coast bioregion along margins of coastal salt marshes at elevations below 5 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces small green to reddish flowers in dense scattered clusters along its branches. Growing 3 to 8 decimeters tall with a mound-like form, it develops multiple decumbent stems that spread out from its base with pale green to reddish-tinged herbaceous branches. Its leaves are overlapping and somewhat lanceolate, ranging 5 to 35 millimeters long, with a distinctive cylindrical to flat shape that gives the shrub a dense, textured appearance. The plant produces shiny black seeds that are 1.5 to 2 millimeters long and can be positioned either horizontally or vertically.

Habitat: Margins of coastal salt marshes

Bloom period: Jul-Oct

Elevation: < 5 m

Bioregions: CCo.

California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Alameda, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange, Ventura, Santa Clara, Contra Costa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.