Honckenya peploides Sea Sandwort, Seaside sandplant PFAF Plant Database

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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Honckenya peploides is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects, wind, wind-blown sand. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Arenaria peploides.

Plant Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Seed Shoots
Edible Uses:

Young shoots - raw or cooked and used as a potherb[2, 61, 183]. A sour taste[257]. A delicious flavour, they are rich in vitamins A and C[172, 257]. They are at their best before the plant flowers[172]. The leaves can also be fermented and used like sauerkraut[115, 257]. In Iceland the plant is steeped in sour whey and allowed to ferment. The resulting liquor is said to taste like olive oil and is used as a beverage[183]. Seed - used as a garnish or ground into a powder and added to flour[172]. Very fiddly to harvest[172].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

References More on Medicinal Uses

Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained soil and an open sunny position. Plants are tolerant of short periods of immersion in salt water[17]. When well sited, the plant can spread quite freely at the roots[K]. Grows well in an outdoor bed at Kew[K].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow March in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Division in early spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Russian Federation (Yakutia-Sakha (north), Taymyr (north), Jamalo-Neneckij avtonomnyj okrug (north)), Russian Federation (Kurile Islands, Habarovskij kraj, Primorye, Kamcatskij kraj, Magadanskaja oblast, Sakhalin), Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu) NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Northwest Territories, Yukon (north), Québec (east), Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba (northeast), British Columbia (west)), Greenland, United States (Alaska (coastal), Connecticut, Maine (south), Massachusetts (east), New Hampshire (southeast), New Jersey, New York (southeast), Rhode Island, Oregon (northwest), Washington (west), Delaware, Maryland (east), Virginia (east)) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium (north), Germany (north), Netherlands (north), Poland (north), Russian Federation-European part (European part (north)), Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Spain (north), France (n. & w.), Portugal (west)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

IUCN Red List

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

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Expert comment

Author

(L.)Ehrh.

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment


Miles Irving	Wed Mar 29 2006

This plant is mentioned in relation to Arenaria rubra in Chevaliers Encyclopedia of medicinal plants, A. rubra has been used to treat kidney stones, acute and chronic cystisis and other conditions of the bladder, apparently. chevalier says it is diuretic and relaxes the muscle walls of urinary tubules and bladder.

Honckenya peploides - (L.)Ehrh.