Common Name: California Sea Blite

General Information

Suaeda californica is a perennial plant with stems that become woody near the base but are herbaceous in their upper part; the plant forms a mound of growth around 30 - 80cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Suaeda californica is said to be an endangered species with a current distribution only on the margins of Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County and a re-established colony in San Francisco Bay[]. However, the native range is said to also include northwest Mexico.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

South-western N. America - western California, northwest Mexico.

Habitat

Intertidal margins of coastal salt marshes[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Suaeda californica
Species in this genus usually require a sunny position and are found in the wild growing in alkaline and saline soils.

Edible Uses

One report says that either the seed or the leaves are edible[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but it would probably succeed from an outdoor sowing in mid spring in situ. Only just cover the seed.
If you only have a small quantity of seed then it would be safer to sow this in a cold frame in the winter. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.