Saltwort

 Scientific Name(s): Batis maritima

Abundance: uncommon
What: all above-ground parts, including seeds
How: raw
Where: coastal beaches
When: spring, summer, fall, winter
Nutritional Value: salt, calories from seeds
Dangers: none

Medicinal Uses: seed oil is loaded with antioxidants as well as fatty acids that benefit the brain

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are oppositely arranged along the stem, with each pair emerging at the same node on opposite sides. This opposite phyllotaxy contributes to the plant's compact, shrubby appearance.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are fleshy, linear to narrowly elliptic, and typically measure between 1.0 to 2.5 inches in length and 0.2 to 0.4 inches in width. Their succulent nature aids in water retention in saline environments.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate but obscure due to the thick, succulent nature of the leaf tissues, with a single main vein running along the center.

Leaf Margin: The margins are entire and smooth, with no serrations or lobes, contributing to the streamlined shape of the leaves.

Leaf Color: The foliage is generally a medium to dark green but may take on a slightly grayish or bluish hue due to the waxy surface that reduces water loss.

Flower Structure: The flowers are small, inconspicuous, and bisexual, measuring approximately 0.1 to 0.2 inches in diameter. They are borne in clusters of 2 to 3 in the axils of the leaves and lack petals, consisting instead of green sepals surrounding the reproductive organs.

Flower Color: The flowers are greenish to whitish, blending in with the foliage and often going unnoticed unless closely inspected.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, fleshy, ovoid drupe measuring about 0.25 inches in length and 0.15 inches in width. It contains a single seed and matures to a dark purple or black color.

Seed: The seed is oblong and smooth, measuring approximately 0.15 inches long and 0.05 inches wide. It is enclosed within the drupe and typically brown in color.

Stem: The stems are woody at the base and become more herbaceous and green toward the tips. They are often thick and somewhat succulent, with a tendency to spread horizontally.

Hairs: The plant is glabrous, lacking hairs on leaves, stems, and reproductive structures. Its smooth surfaces are often coated with a waxy cuticle.

Height: Mature individuals typically grow to a height of 1.5 to 3 feet and can spread up to 6 feet wide, forming dense, sprawling mats in coastal environments.

Closeup of saltwort

Wider shot of saltwort

Cluster of saltworts across tidal mud

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Saltwort appears to be the fatter, branching version of glasswort, though they don't share any ancestry other than both being eudicots. They do both thrive in high-salt, high-sun coastal beaches, playing a role in holding down the sand/mud/soil there.

All aerial parts of saltwort are edible. The thick, succulent stems and leaves have a nice crunch and a salty flavor. Eat them raw or add them to salads. I think they'd be great in scrambled eggs, tortillas wraps, or spring rolls, based on my use of purslane in these dishes. Older portions of saltwort might be a bit tough, give them a nibble to decide.

The seeds of saltwort contain a spectacular oil that is 93% unsaturated - making it the highest ever discovered. The flavor profile of this oil is similar to safflower oil. It does take a lot of the small seeds to produce oil so it isn't being done commercially, but kitchen table oil extraction can be accomplished with a Piteba Nut & Seed Oil Press.

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.