Seablite
Suaeda australis
Family: Chenopodiaceae
What it is like
Suaeda australis is a ANNUAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Salt flats by the coast, inland salt pans and sandbanks behind mangroves.
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Stem tips - raw. A salty flavour with a crisp and pleasant texture, they go well in salads and can also be boiled as a vegetable when they have a taste like salty beans. Young shoots - pickled.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors in the milder parts of this country. It is very similar to S. maritima, its only difference being that it is more woody. It dislikes shade, see the plants native range for other ideas on its cultivation needs.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in situ.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist