- © M.Charter. Used with permission
- Male saltwort plant
Saltwort is also called beachwort. Another name is glasswort which is also used for Salcornia virginica, (pickleweed). Saltwort plants are perennial halophytes that can also grow in fresh water. On California’s coast they are often found in company with pickleweed, and cordgrass,
Facts and Features
- Geographic Distribution
California to northern South America, West Indies, Galapagos Islands, and southeast United States. Introduced in Hawaiian Islands where it is an invasive species.
- Amazing Facts
Saltwort plants are believed to have been carried to the Galapagos Islands from South America when torrential rains washed whole plants out to sea. Today the plants are an important food source for the Galapagos marine iguana.
- At the Aquarium
Our plants, located in the Shorebird Sanctuary, were donated by the Stewards of the Los Cerritos Wetlands located in Long Beach, California.