# Pacific Silverweed (*argentina pacifica*)

Pacific Silverweed has bright green leaves that shimmer in the sunlight! It's often found along sandy beaches and coastal areas, making it a favorite for nature explorers.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas and sandy beaches.
- **Also known as:** Coastal Silverweed, Silverweed

![Pacific Silverweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Argentina_egedii_2818.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Argentina_egedii_2818.JPG)

## Appearance

The Pacific Silverweed is a low-growing plant with distinctive silvery-white undersides on its deeply lobed green leaves. Its bright yellow, five-petaled flowers bloom individually on slender stalks, creating a vibrant contrast against its foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Rosaceae
- **Genus:** Argentina

## Interesting facts

- Historically, Indigenous people would harvest its roots and roast them like a vegetable!
- Its roots taste surprisingly sweet, often compared to parsnips or tiny sweet potatoes!
- Pacific Silverweed is actually a member of the diverse rose family, just like strawberries!
- The silvery sheen on its leaves is created by thousands of tiny hairs that reflect sunlight!

## Special abilities

- **Salt Shield:** Pacific Silverweed can tolerate salty soil and sea spray, allowing it to thrive where many other plants cannot.
- **Runner Rush:** Pacific Silverweed has spreading stolons that help it quickly colonize new areas, forming dense patches.
- **Root Reserve:** Pacific Silverweed stores energy in its starchy roots, helping it survive harsh conditions and provide food.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Black-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus melanopygus*) — Drinks nectar and collects pollen.
- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Graze on its leaves and stems.
- **Eaten by:** [Townsend's Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/townsends-vole) (*Microtus townsendii*) — Feeds on its nutritious roots.
- **Eaten by:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Historically harvested its edible roots.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [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.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Pacific Silverweed?

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 Pacific Silverweed?

10-30 cm

### How wide does Pacific Silverweed spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Pacific Silverweed?

1-2.5 cm

### When does Pacific Silverweed bloom?

Late spring to summer

### Is Pacific Silverweed edible?

Yes

### Is Pacific Silverweed toxic?

None

### What is Pacific Silverweed's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Reed College Parkway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reed-college-parkway) — Oregon, US · 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*)

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Source: [Pacific Silverweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-silverweed)