How to Grow and Care for Glassworts

Glasswort (Salicornia europaea) is an annual succulent that will grow to 41 cm tall. It is multi-branched with fleshy stems. Thought to look like asparagus, it is an edible plant that has made its way into gourmet salads and trendy side dishes. It blooms in late summer and seeds ripen in fall. Blossoms are tiny. Difficult to grow in cultivation; needs full sun and well-drained soil.

The ashes of virginia glasswort were once used in soapmaking and glassmaking due to the presence of soda ash or sodium bicarbonate. This perennial member of the goosefoot family is typically found in salt marshes.

Salicornia pacifica (or pacific pickleweed) is native to North America. It grows in wetlands and salt-marsh, or coastal areas. It is a slow-growing plant.

The inflorescence is a dense, sticklike spike of flowers. Each flower is made up of a fused pocket of sepals enclosing the stamens and stigmas, with no petals. The fruit is an utricle containing tiny, fuzzy seeds. The southern part of the species range is represented by the Petenes mangroves of the Yucatán, where it is a subdominant plant associate in the mangroves.

Perennial glasswort is a perennial succulent that thrives in saline environments such as salt marshes and sandy seashores. Its fleshy, jointed stems and scale-like leaves form a bushy, vibrant green silhouette that often turns red with autumn's approach. Adapted to absorb moisture and nutrients in harsh, salty conditions, perennial glasswort serves as both a unique coastal stabilizer and a culinary delight.