Cakile maritime, whose plant can be enjoyed on the coasts

Maritime Cakile  also known as Sea Caterpillar, Sea Radish, Sea Radish, Sea Ruca, Sea Ruqueta or Rucamar . It belongs to the Brassicaceae family. Being a native of Europe, especially from the coasts.

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Characteristics of the maritime Cakile

It is an annual , erect, procumbent, plump and glabrous plant that can grow to 15 to 40 cm.

The leaves are alternate, glabrous, fleshy, with pinnate or deeply lobed blades, with linear, narrow and long leaflets.

The flower has four petals, lilac almost white. Four sepals with rounded tips, membranous edges, six stamens and the pistil formed by two united carpels.

The fruit is fleshy, flattened, divided in two. The terminal part hemmed, the upper edge in two extended projections.

The seed is  conical, oblong, arched, laterally furrowed, in brown color.

Caring for the maritime Cakile

The maritime Cakile is a species that colonizes the coasts. It is found in sand dunes formed by accumulations of seaweed.

It can even develop on mounds of organic debris, always near breakwaters, since they require large amounts of nitrogen.

It does not support shade, so it requires moderate heat.

It is a species adapted to withstand long periods of drought, strong winds and high levels of salt.

As for the substrate, it must be of the sandy type enriched with deposits from the intense tides.

Interesting data

• The extract of this species is used in cosmetics as a skin conditioner.
• In the food industry, it is used as a vegetable. In Japan, they use the fresh leaves to complement salads and soups.
• It has medicinal properties such as exciting, aperitif and antiscorbutic.
• The fruit of the Sea Caterpillar can be carried away by the currents for weeks until stagnating, thus becoming a weed.

But did you know about her? or have you ever seen it? If so, be sure to tell us more about this species.