# sea ox-eye (*Borrichia frutescens*) The sea ox-eye is a small, bushy plant that grows in sandy coastal areas. It has bright yellow flowers that look like little suns and can help keep the beach healthy. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 14 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![sea ox-eye](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Borrichia_frutescens_%28Bushy_seaside_oxeye%29_%287028865977%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borrichia_frutescens_%28Bushy_seaside_oxeye%29_%287028865977%29.jpg) ## Appearance The sea ox-eye is a bushy shrub with silvery-green, fleshy leaves. It has bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with a prominent, dark gold central disk. Its unique silvery foliage makes it stand out on coastal landscapes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Borrichia ## Interesting facts - Ancient people sometimes burned this plant to get salty ash for soap! - Believe it or not, this coastal plant is related to giant garden sunflowers! - It's a tough survivor, growing happily in sandy spots battered by ocean winds! - Some tiny insects build homes called galls right on its stems! ## Special abilities - **Water Keeper:** It has thick, fleshy leaves that can store water, allowing it to survive dry periods near the ocean. - **Sand Anchor:** Its strong root system grows deep into the sand, preventing erosion and stabilizing beaches. - **Pollinator Beacon:** The sea ox-eye has vibrant yellow flowers that act as a visual signal, attracting many insects for pollination. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-100 cm - **Spread:** 50-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Buzzing bees visit its bright yellow flowers for nectar. - **Pollinates:** [monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Monarch butterflies stop to refuel on its sugary nectar. - **Eats:** [bordered patch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bordered-patch) (*Chlosyne lacinia*) — Its caterpillars nibble the leaves of this coastal plant. - **Shelter:** ribbed mussel (*Geukensia demissa*) — Its roots help stabilize mudflats, providing mussel habitat. ## 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. - [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. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [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 stay on paths and don't pick plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify sea ox-eye? 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 ox-eye? 50-100 cm ### How wide does sea ox-eye spread? 50-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on sea ox-eye? 2-4 cm ### When does sea ox-eye bloom? Summer to fall ### Is sea ox-eye edible? No ### Is sea ox-eye toxic? None ### What is sea ox-eye's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Fort Caroline](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-caroline) — Florida, US · National Park - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood - [Secessionville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/secessionville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see sea ox-eye](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sea-ox-eye) ## 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 Ox-eye: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sea-ox-eye)