Batis maritima aka Turtleweed

Batis maritima is an evergreen shrub in the Bataceae family. Its common names include beachwort and saltwort. It comes from tropical and subtropical coasts of the Americas. Its range reaches from Brazil and Peru through Central America. It also includes the Caribbean and southern North America. Kew places it in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This shrub has fleshy leaves and a low, spreading form. It reaches about 3.3 feet [1 metre] in height. Its stems also grow to about 3.3 feet [1 metre] long. Some trail across the ground, while others grow upward. Stems may bend back down and take root. This lets the plant spread across nearby sand. It keeps its leaves throughout the year. The small flowers add little show. The plant is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. It can produce flowers and fruit throughout the year.

Beachwort grows along salt marsh edges and flat ground near estuaries. It can form large stands in these places. It tolerates salt and exposure beside the sea. It also copes with alkaline soil and poor drainage. Seasonal floods fall within its known range of tolerances. These traits suit the harsh ground found along warm coasts. The sources give no cold-hardiness limit or detailed garden watering schedule. They describe its coastal setting rather than a full garden-care routine.

Its spreading stems help hold loose sand in place. Roots form as the stems move across the ground. This makes beachwort useful for stabilizing dunes and other coastal sands. Its value here lies in soil cover rather than showy flowers. People also burn the plant to obtain potash-rich ash. That ash has uses in soap and glass making. The source lists seed as a means of propagation.

People gather the salty leaves from wild plants for food. They eat them in salads, cook them, or make pickles. Boiled leaves can be strained to remove fibres, leaving a salty purée. The roots yield sweet juice when chewed or sucked. That juice can make a drink or sweeten coffee. Useful Tropical Plants reports no known hazards or medicinal uses. It gives no specific pest or disease information.