Download Coastal habitats - Wild About Plants

Habitat Wildflower Guide
Coastal habitats
Habitat description Habitats such as sand dunes,
salt marshes and rocky cliffs are found in coastal
areas around the UK. These habitats support a diverse range of plant species.
Many coastal plants are adapted to salty conditions and are known as halophytes and
some adapted to dry conditions and known as xerophytes. Many birds are adapted
to wading in water such as the Redshank and Curlew. Seagulls and terns can be seen
around the coast. Crabs and molluscs inhabit rocky pools alongside a variety of seaweeds, and in some places,
seals can be seen. The shape of the coast is always changing due to erosion and deposition of sand and rocks.
Defences that are constructed by humans to minimise the effects of these coastal processes can affect the
natural systems, leading to a loss of biodiversity. The rising sea level also threatens coastal communities and
restoring salt marshes is a valued management tool for protecting coastal settlements from flooding and erosion.
Folklore
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vegetable, either boiled or in salads. Restharrow
w h ich for r a re oweri n g p is i m po ,
du nes c a n on ly m osses a n la nts butr t a nt
can also be used to make a liquorice-flavoured
s uch a s lon g s u r v ive d liver wo
a rea a s Willow a s la rge on t he s r ts,
drink. In the early 1700s, Sea Kale became
flower a n d out c don’t cor pla nts a n d
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popular as a garden vegetable. It is cooked
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the same way as asparagus. In the 17th and
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18th centuries, the roots of Sea Holly were
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on sa g row s i n -toler a nt
used to make sweets. Plants were also used
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in herbal medicine. Tree Mallow leaves
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kitchen. Restharrow shoots were used as a
One t
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were put in hot water and then applied
to sprained limbs and burns to ease the
pain. It is thought that this plant was introduced by
lighthouse keepers who wanted to grow the plant for its
medicinal properties.
www.wildaboutplants.org.uk
Other species to look out for...
Sea Bindweed
Sea Kale
Calystegia soldanella
Crambe maritima
Bindweeds are vines
that grow by twining
around anything that can
support them, including
other plants. Sea bindweed
has pink and white trumpetshaped flowers and fleshy stems. It is most
commonly found growing on sand dunes.
Sea Kale is mainly
found on shingle
and boulder beaches. It is related to the
cabbage,and can be eaten. The leaves are up to 30 cm
long and have wavy edges. It reproduces by seed but can
also regenerate from detached pieces of root.
Photograph: A.S. Kers
Sea Holly
Photograph: Andrew Gagg, Plantlife
Marram Grass
Ammophila arenaria
Sea Holly has spined, waxy
grey-green leaves. It is the
spiky leaves that give Sea
Holly its common name
although it is unrelated
to the Holly tree. It is an
evergreen plant and has blue
flowers that are clustered in
a flowerhead.
The long leaves of Marram Grass
are tightly rolled to minimise the
water loss it experiences where
it grows in exposed windy places.
It is one of the main species found
on sand dunes. Its roots bind
the sand together causing sand
to gather. This makes dunes
higher and reduces the salty
conditions, which means other
plants can now grow here.
Photograph: A.S. Kers
Photograph: Andrew Gagg, Plantlife
Eryngium maritimum
Sea Sandwort
Tree Mallow
Honkenya peploides
Lavatera arborea
Sea Sandwort has
star-like flowers that
have five white petals.
It grows on beaches and
sand dunes. This plant’s
fleshy leaves and deep
roots are adaptations
that enable it to survive
in the dry environment of
coastal habitats.
Tree Mallow is found
on the south and west
coasts of Great Britain.
It grows on rocks and
has large purple flowers, which are
pollinated by bees. Invasion of this species along
the east coast of Scotland is a threat to Atlantic puffins
because it prevents access to their burrows.
Photograph: Andrew Gagg, Plantlife
Thrift
Armeria maritima
Thrift grows in dense
clumps on rocks and
in salt marshes. It has
narrow leaves and
flowerheads of pink or
white flowers.
Photograph: Andrew Gagg, Plantlife
Photograph: Andrew Gagg, Plantlife
Restharrow
Ononis repens
Restharrow is a low creeping herb
with hairy stems and small pink
flowers. The leaves have hairs that
release a sticky substance with a
strong odour when bruised. Like
other species from the Pea family,
Restharrow has bacteria associated with its roots that fix nitrogen
from the air.
Photograph: Andrew Gagg, Plantlife
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