# Dune Marsh-elder (*Iva imbricata*) Dune Marsh-elder is a special plant that grows in sandy areas near the coast. It has thick, green leaves and can help protect the beach from erosion. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Dune Marsh-elder](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Iva_imbricata.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mason Brock (Masebrock), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iva_imbricata.jpg) ## Appearance The Dune Marsh-elder is a bushy, somewhat succulent perennial plant with woody stems at its base. It has narrow, fleshy, bright green leaves that are often arranged in an overlapping pattern. Its small, greenish-white flower heads are inconspicuous and appear in clusters along the upper stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Iva ## Interesting facts - Despite its name, its tiny flowers are so plain they don't even have petals! - It's a cousin to sunflowers and daisies, even though it looks very different. - Some tiny coastal insects only eat this specific plant, making it a special food source! - This plant helps create new land by trapping sand, slowly building up dunes over time. ## Special abilities - **Salt Shield:** Dune Marsh-elder has special glands that help it remove excess salt from its tissues, allowing it to thrive in salty coastal air and soil. - **Sand Anchor:** This plant can grow a dense network of underground stems and roots, acting like a living net to hold shifting sand dunes in place. - **Water Saver:** Its thick, waxy leaves are designed to store water and reduce evaporation, helping it survive long dry spells in sandy environments. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** [Sea Oats](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sea-oats) (*Uniola paniculata*) — Grows alongside to help stabilize fragile coastal dunes together. - **Symbiotic with:** Saltmarsh Hay (*Spartina patens*) — Often found growing together in brackish areas of salt marshes. - **Shelter:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Coastal birds may use its dense clumps for cover or nesting near water. - **Eats:** Marsh-elder Bug (*Stictopleurus punctatonervosus*) — A true bug that specifically feeds on various marsh-elder species. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [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. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless a grown-up says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dune Marsh-elder? 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 Dune Marsh-elder? 30-100 cm ### How wide does Dune Marsh-elder spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on Dune Marsh-elder? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Dune Marsh-elder bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is Dune Marsh-elder edible? No ### Is Dune Marsh-elder toxic? None ### What is Dune Marsh-elder's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fort Matanzas National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-matanzas-national-monument) — Florida, US · National Park ## 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*) --- Source: [Dune Marsh-elder: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dune-marsh-elder)