Beaded Samphire

Beaded Samphire (Salicornia quinqueflora) is a low, mat-forming coastal succulent that grows only about 20cm high but spreads up to 2m wide. Its fleshy green stems stand upright and redden at the tips, and the young shoots are edible. It is native to Australia and many other frost-free coasts, and it thrives in sand, salty ground and full sun.

Why you'll love it

• A salt-loving specialist. It grows in sand, salty marshland and frontline coastal positions where most plants give up.
• Edible bush tucker. Young stems can be picked in spring and summer, a salty, crisp vegetable more often met in restaurants than in gardens.
• Colour at the tips. The fleshy green stems redden at the tips, most strongly in full sun.
• Helps hold ground. The spreading mat is used for erosion control on sandy and coastal soils.
• Food for wildlife. Native animals graze it, so it can draw some wildlife to a coastal garden.

Where it works best

Coastal gardens and dune edges. Plant 1m apart as a spreading groundcover on sandy, salty ground at the front line.

Pots and tubs. Grow it in a tub of free-draining mix in full sun for a harvest on the patio.

Wetland and pond edges. It suits the margins of saline wetlands and saltwater ponds, where few other plants will grow.

Growing Beaded Samphire in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the most colour and a compact shape, or at least part of the day in sun. It is frost tender, so it suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. In frosty areas grow it in a pot and move it under cover over winter.

Soil. Free-draining soil. It grows in sand, salty marshland and frontline coastal positions, so poor sandy ground suits it and rich compost is unnecessary.

Water and feed. Water until established, usually around 12 weeks. After that, water when the soil is dry. It is drought tolerant once established. In a container, water now and then with dilute salt water.

Pruning. Harvesting is the pruning. Pick young stems in spring and summer to keep the mat compact and productive.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Beaded Samphire as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly once it is in the ground. A tube plant is a small start for a spreading mat, so plant it into sandy, free-draining soil in the sun and water it in well.

Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out on this page, and the notify button emails you the day it is back in.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Edible plants and bush tucker
• Succulents
• The best plants for coastal gardens

Common questions

Do I need to water it with salt water?

In the ground, no, because it copes with salty soil. In a container, an occasional drink of dilute salt water mimics its natural habitat. Never use strong brine.

How do I eat it?

Pick young stems in spring or summer and rinse them well. Eat them raw or lightly steamed, and skip the extra salt because the stems are already salty.

What else is it called?

Glasswort, sea asparagus, pickleweed and beadweed all describe this plant, and botanists also list it as Sarcocornia quinqueflora.