Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Suaeda taxifolia is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common name woolly seablite. It is native to the coastline of southern California and Baja California, where it grows in saline habitat such as salt marshes, beaches, dunes, and scrub. It is quite variable in appearance. Suaeda taxifolia is a generally a shrub or subshrub spreading or growing erect to a maximum height near 1. 5 metres (4. 9 ft). It is hairless to densely hairy, and waxy in texture. It has woody lower stems and fleshy green to reddish upper stems. The succulent leaves are lance-shaped to nearly oval, measuring up to 3 centimeters in length. They vary in color from bluish to green to yellowish or reddish. There is usually a knobby bump at the base of each. Flowers occur in clusters along the stems, each cluster containing 1 to 3 flowers. Leaflike bracts accompany the clusters. The flower has no petals and is composed of a calyx of fleshy, rounded, hairy sepals. The fruit is an utricle that grows within the calyx.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

5 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow, Red

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low

Site type

Alkaline and salin places

Plant communities

Coastal Sage Scrub, Wetland-Riparian

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 1 likely

Confirmed Likely

Western Pygmy Blue

Brephidium exilis