aster maritime

Sea aster is a very tasty plant. Beside the many bee species which drink the nectar and spread the pollen, birds such as finches and buntings eat the nutty seeds, sheep like the flowers and brent geese eat the fleshy leaves and stems. The hardy seeds can stay afloat up to two weeks before settling. In order to germinate, they need a bit of fresh water. Afterwards, it can grow under salty conditions. This gives the plant the opportunity to grow in places where most plants can't. That is fortunate for sea aster, because it doesn't grow well if there is too much competition. Sea aster is also cultivated as a silty sea vegetable for humans.