Pickleweed
Salicornia pacifica
Green to yellow in color, distinct finger like branching. Turns pink/red as salt collects in tissues.
Low growing & spreading plant. Usually less that 1ft tall, can be the dominant species over large areas.
Tolerates salt.
Safe to touch. Relatively soft. Flexible segmented (bumpy) tissues that are more woody & stick like at the base.
No noticeable smell.
Edible - salty vegetal taste with a texture similar to a raw green bean.
Eat at own risk & only if in clean water source, contaminated or high nutrient water (near agriculture) can cause sickness.
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Plantae
Domain
Magnoliopsida
Class
Order
Family
Asteraceae
note composite flower, curled stamens, volucre, yellow color
Genus
Species
Found near:
Distichlis spicata (salt grass)
Jaumea carnosa
Range Map
Listed Status: None known
Collection Notes:
Do not walk on pickleweed meadows or collect this plant between April - July.
Belding's Savannah Sparrows breed during this time & are federally protected.
Pickleweed vs.
Salicornia pacifica
Parishes Glasswort
Arthrocnemum subterminale
Nesting Habitat for:
Belding's Savannah Sparrow
(Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi)
Food source for:
Western Brush Rabbit
Sylvilagus bachmani
Host for:
Salt Marsh Dodder
Cuscuta salina?
Propagation: Medium Difficulty
Blooms from July - November
Collect seeds around late summer, Aug-Oct when ends are brown and dried, will easily break off. Rake seeds (ok to keep dried plant material as well) into well draining soil bed with light covering of soil or perlite.
Stem propagation - no success, high water content in stems causes them to rot.
Dividing - collected plants can be divided into containers & grown.
Restoration Notes:
Establishing plants should be caged to prevent herbivory.
Avoid surveying in water adjacent areas with pickleweed present between April - July due to Savannah Belding Sparrow nesting season.
Pickleweed will grow well with additional summer watering, areas can even be temporarily flooded with driplines.
Mulching with dessicated pickleweed ends in fall can be a good way to establish plant on bare ground.