Sea sandwort, Ovate Sandwort, Sea chickweed
Honckenya peploides

Family: Caryophyllaceae

What it is like

A herb that lies along the ground. It keeps growing from year to year. It is 10-15 cm tall. It forms large mats. The leaves are succulent and pointed. They occur one after another (alternate) along the stem. They are 1-4 cm long by 3-20 mm wide. The flowers have a strong honey scent. The flowers are star shaped with 5 white petals. They are in the axils of leaves near the tip of the stems. The fruit is a fleshy capsule. It is round and green and turns yellowish-brown when ripe.

Where it is found

It is a cold temperate plant. It grows at the top of beaches on stable sand. It grows along Arctic coasts.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Arctic, Britain, Canada, Europe, Iceland, North America, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Sweden, USA

How it is used for food

The plant is fermented in sour whey and used like sauerkraut. The plant can be boiled or pickled. It can be eaten raw as a salad or boiled and used as a potherb. It has a taste like borage. The leaves are boiled many times then stored in wooden barrels for winter. Seeds can be used in baking.

The leaves are a good source of Vitamin A & C. The leaves are foraged and eaten in restaurants in Sweden.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ahsahklook, Eteeahahluk, It'garalget, Mytknagrak, Sea purslane, Seabeach sandwort, Seaside sandplant, Strandarve, Tukullget

Synonyms

Alsine peploides Crantz; Ammodenia peploides (L.) Rupr.; Ammonalia peploides (L.) Desv.; Arenaria diffusa (Hornem.) Wormsk.; Arenaria littoralis Salisb.; Arenaria peploides L.; Arenaria portulacea Lam.; Arenaria sitchensis D. Dietr.; Cerastium succulentum Crantz; Halianthus peploides Fr.; Holosteum succulentum L.; Honckenya diffusa (Hornem.) A. Love & D. Love; Honckenya frigida Pobed.; Merckia peploides G. Don; Minuartia peploides (L.) Hiern;