Coastal Plants

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River Findhorn estuary, near Forres, Moray

The plants which grow on or near the seashore are very specialised. Think about the extreme conditions they must withstand:

These are many similarities with the alpine habitat, and you should read about the origin of the alpine flora in Northern Scotland to understand why many alpine plants are also found along the seashore.

On this particular page we have concentrated more on the other coastal plants, those which do not share the alpine habitat, and tell you something of their past usefulness to humanity. Coastal plants are just as vulnerable to loss of their habitat. We regard the land next to the sea as an amenity area for all to use, but when the number of people using an area becomes too great, or there is interference with the ground such as mowing of turf, or application of fertilisers and other chemicals, the delicate balance may be upset to the detriment of many vulnerable species.

Saxifraga granulata - Meadow Saxifrage, Moray

This is a perfect example of a plant once fairly common in Moray, now rapidly disappearing from its last few coastal habitats, above sand dunes, due to the pressures of coastal footpaths and golf courses. Should more vigorous steps be taken to preserve its habitat?

Honkenya peploides - Sea Sandwort, Moray

This small plant with distinctive dark green almost succulent leaves, and rather inconspicuous greenish flowers, is common all around the coast, preferring to grow in rather mobile sand or shingle just above the high tide mark.

Cakile maritima - Sea Rocket, Moray

Found growing usually in the drift line in sand or fine shingle, this member of the Cabbage family also has rather fleshy leaves, like the Honkenya shown above. This is a characteristic feature of plants which have to conserve water. Remember that the sea is salty, therefore many maritime plants have to retain a store of non-salty water within their tissues, as the seawater contains too much salt for them to be able to use it directly.

Asplenium marinum - Sea Spleenwort, Moray

This is one of the non flowering plants found around our coasts. This fern also has rather fleshy fronds, and can withstand a lot of wetting by sea water spray. It is found in cracks and crevices in cliffs and rocks, so be very careful indeed if you go looking for it.

Left, clifftop habitat and right, sand dune, Moray

Coastal habitats can be subdivided into a number of different types, each with their own characteristics. The river estuary, shown at the very top of this page, is a typical 'low energy' environment, where the wave action is not very great due to the protective effect of the surrounding bay. There is a large build-up of sand and mud, and the plants grow very close to, or even in, the water's edge.

The clifftop is a 'high energy' environment, where the effect of the wind is felt at its greatest, and the plants are also exposed to the effect of waves crashing into the base of the cliffs, and salt spray driven up and over the face of the cliff by the wind. The photograph is taken a little way back from the cliff top, and shows a mixture of mostly Pink Campion and Scurvy Grass (not really a grass at all - see below) growing among a mixture of grasses and other plants.

The sand dune is also a fairly high energy environment, but characterised by very unstable, nutrient deficient soil, and lack of moisture. Many sand dune plants are adapted to conserve water in the arid environment in which they grow. Sand dunes also tend to be amenity areas as well, as they often adjoin a fine sandy beach, attractive for swimming.

Cochlearia officinalis - Scurvy Grass, Moray

Not a grass, but a member of the cabbage family, and also found in alpine habitats. Its common name comes from the fact that its leaves are rich in vitamin C, and sailors, who commonly suffered the effects of vitamin C deficiency when at sea for long periods, would come ashore and eat the leaves to alleviate the condition known as Scurvy.

Salicornia sp. - Glasswort, or Marsh Samphire, Moray

This plant grows in the mud and silt of salt marshes and river estuaries, where there is little or no wave action. It is one of the few flowering plants which can truly be said to live in salt water, being covered by the sea at almost every high tide. There are over ten different species of Salicornia found around the British coast, but they are very difficult to identify accurately. The common name derives from the fact that many years ago the plants were collected in huge numbers, dried, and then burned. The resulting ash, a very pure form of soda, was used in the glass industry.

Glaux maritima - Sea Milkwort, Moray

A small and often rather overlooked plant, its shoots in fact often form a carpet or turf just above the high tide line of salt marshes and in estuaries. The flowers are tiny, short lived, and perhaps even more overlooked than the plant itself.

Aster tripolium - Sea Aster, Moray

Commonly found adjacent to the salt marsh, or above the strand line on rocky shores, this fleshy leaved version of a Michaelmas Daisy is relatively common. It is found in flower from the end of July onwards, and is very attractive to bees and other insects.

Spergula sp. - Sand Spurrey, Moray

The fine fleshy trailing stems and pink flowers, which open only really well in bright sun, are very distinctive. A common plant along many sandy and pebbly shores in Moray, especially around the saltmarshes and river estuaries.

Plantago maritima - Sea Plantain, Moray

This clump of sea plantain was photographed at about the high tide mark on a pebbly beach. The plant is extremely variable and adaptable. It occurs in alpine situations, as well as on cliffs, saltmarshes, and sand dunes.

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