Sea Rocket
Cakile edentula · Also known as: American sea rocket
Low, succulent dune pioneer of the wrack line, with purple flowers and paddle-shaped seed pods on Assateague and OC beaches.
Quick facts
| Group | Dune plant |
|---|---|
| Likelihood nearby | ★★★★☆ |
| Habitats | Dunes, Ocean beach, Assateague State Park, Assateague National Seashore |
| Seasons (this coast) | spring, summer, fall |
How to recognize them
- Fleshy, branching stems with thick, lobed leaves; often sprawls in sandy swales behind the high tide line.
- Small four-petaled lavender to white flowers; distinctive two-segmented seed pods like little rockets.
Biology notes
- Halophyte that tolerates salt spray and occasional burial; seeds float and ride ocean currents.
- Pioneer species that colonizes bare sand before beachgrass stabilizes a dune.
Where to see them around Ocean City
- Upper beach and foredune swales on Assateague—look behind the wrack after summer storms.
- Ocean City beach access paths and dune toe where sand is loose and open.
When to look
- Flowering peak late spring through summer; seed pods persist into fall.
Viewing tips & etiquette
- Look low—sea rocket is easy to miss next to taller beachgrass.
- Photograph pods in good light; they split into corky segments that float away.
