# Sea Milkwort (*Lysimachia maritima*) Sea Milkwort is a lovely plant that grows near the coast. It has bright yellow flowers that look like little stars and can help make sandy places beautiful. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Sea Milkwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Glaux_maritima_no.JPG&width=800) Photo: Arnstein Rønning, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glaux_maritima_no.JPG) ## Appearance The Sea Milkwort is a low-growing plant with fleshy, oval leaves that often have a reddish tint. Its tiny, pale pink to purplish-white bell-shaped flowers grow directly from the leaf axils, hugging the stem. It often forms mats on salty ground. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Primulaceae - **Genus:** Lysimachia ## Interesting facts - Even with its small flowers, tiny flies and bees love to visit them for a sweet treat. - Its old name 'Glaux' means 'owl' in Greek, perhaps because of its wide-open tiny flowers! - Sea Milkwort leaves can taste quite salty if you nibble them, like a natural snack from the sea! - This plant is related to garden primroses and loosestrifes, even though it looks very different. ## Special abilities - **Salt Survivor:** Sea Milkwort can thrive in super salty soil and even brackish water, thanks to its special ability to handle high salt levels. - **Water Wise Leaves:** Sea Milkwort has thick, somewhat succulent leaves that can store water, helping it survive in dry, exposed coastal environments. - **Sand Anchor:** Sea Milkwort can help stabilize shifting sand dunes with its creeping roots, preventing erosion along the coastline. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-25 cm - **Spread:** 10-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Sweat Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sweat-bee) (*Lasioglossum calceatum*) — Visits its small flowers for nectar. - **Eaten by:** Spanish Slug (*Arion lusitanicus*) — Slugs may graze on its leaves and stems. - **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Waterfowl sometimes graze on its low-growing foliage. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [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. - [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 without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sea Milkwort? 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 Sea Milkwort? 5-25 cm ### How wide does Sea Milkwort spread? 10-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on Sea Milkwort? 0.2-0.4 cm ### When does Sea Milkwort bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is Sea Milkwort edible? Yes ### Is Sea Milkwort toxic? None ### What is Sea Milkwort's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Kennebunkport Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennebunkport-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Cape Arundel Summer Colony Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-arundel-summer-colony-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Porteau Cove Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/porteau-cove-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Sea Milkwort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sea-milkwort) ## 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: [Sea Milkwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sea-milkwort)