# Danish Scurvy-grass (*Cochlearia danica*)

Danish Scurvy-grass is a small plant that grows close to the sea. It has pretty green leaves and tiny white flowers that bloom in spring. This plant loves to live in sandy places and can be found along coastlines.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![Danish Scurvy-grass](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cochlearia_danica_Crozon_060416w.jpg&width=800)

Photo: User:Strobilomyces, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cochlearia_danica_Crozon_060416w.jpg)

## Appearance

The Danish Scurvy-grass has small, glossy, often heart-shaped or triangular leaves that can be green or tinged with purple. It features tiny white, four-petaled flowers arranged in loose clusters, making it stand out against rocky coastal backgrounds.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Brassicales
- **Family:** Brassicaceae
- **Genus:** Cochlearia

## Interesting facts

- It tastes peppery, like cress, even though it grows right by the salty sea!
- Its tiny seeds can travel far on ocean currents, finding new homes on distant shores!
- This hardy plant can bloom even in chilly coastal winds and sea spray!
- Vikings and sailors carried this plant on long voyages to avoid getting sick!

## Special abilities

- **Salt Warrior:** Danish Scurvy-grass can thrive in super salty soils, an adaptation that helps it grow where other plants can't survive.
- **Vitamin C Powerhouse:** Danish Scurvy-grass has leaves packed with Vitamin C, helping it stay healthy and offering a vital nutrient source.
- **Coastal Anchor:** Danish Scurvy-grass has strong roots that help stabilize coastal dunes and shingle, preventing erosion by waves.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-30 cm
- **Spread:** 5-25 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from flowers
- **Pollinates:** Drone fly (*Eristalis tenax*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Eats:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — grazes on leaves and young shoots

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless an adult says it's okay.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Danish Scurvy-grass?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Danish Scurvy-grass?

5-30 cm

### How wide does Danish Scurvy-grass spread?

5-25 cm

### How big are the flowers on Danish Scurvy-grass?

0.2-0.4 cm

### When does Danish Scurvy-grass bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Danish Scurvy-grass edible?

Yes

### Is Danish Scurvy-grass toxic?

None

### What is Danish Scurvy-grass's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Danish Scurvy-grass: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/danish-scurvy-grass)