Coastal searocket
Cakile lanceolata
Brassicaceae


Landscape Uses:

An ephemeral element of beach dunes. Not recommended for general landscape use.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description:
Small annual herb.
Height:
Typically 1-3 feet in height. Often about as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Fast.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north along eastern coast to St. John County and along the western coast to southern Texas; the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Habitats:
Beach dunes.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without a humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Moderately low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water, but tolerates short term inunation by salt water from storm surge with minimal damage.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Pioneer; grows in unconsolidated substrate in direct salt wind and spray.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
White.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy.
Flowering Season:
Winter-summer.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous indehiscent fruit.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Larval host plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste) butterflies. Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed and cuttings.
Comments:
See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


Roger L. Hammer
Cara Abbott, 2023.
Keith A. Bradley
Keith A. Bradley
Cara Abbott, 2023.
Cara Abbott, 2023.