Shingle plants
Vegetated shingle is an internationally rare habitat, made up of some
highly specialised plant communities.
Annual plants often colonise shingle beaches just above the strandline. Waves wash their floating seeds up onto the shingle in winter; the plants then germinate and complete their development during the summer, only to be carried away by the next autumn’s storms. More varied communities of both annual and perennial plants develop further inland on shingle that is less frequently inundated or wholly beyond the reach of the waves. The richest communities are found at sites, such as Rye Harbour, where large masses of shingle have accumulated because the beach has built outwards into the Channel.
Plants that colonise coastal shingle have to be well adapted to cope with the inhospitable environment. They need to endure copious amounts of salt spray, particularly in winter, as well as frequent high winds. Many species, such as Sea Pea, hug the surface of the shingle, forming mats, to avoid being desiccated or uprooted. Newly deposited shingle can be very unstable and difficult to colonise. However, Sea Campion and Stonecrops develop extensive root systems that very effectively bind loose shingle.
The comparative sterility of beach shingle presents plants with a further problem. Except where rotting seaweed and other organic materials have accumulated, essential nutrients tend to be in short supply. In addition, plants growing close to high water mark risk temporary submergence if an onshore gale happens to combine with a very high tide. It is not unknown for entire plant communities to be washed away during severe storm events.
Plant species (click on names for pictures and/or more information)
Sea-kale is one of the first pioneer species. A type of cabbage, it is a large plant with a mass of white flowers and thick grey-green leaves with a waxy coating to reduce water loss. Its root which resembles a tap-root can be up to 2m long to reach the freshwater far below the ground surface. It is thought that the incoming tide pushes freshwater up to within reach of these roots twice a day.
Large seeds means they are less likely to get lost between the pebbles. The seeds are also buoyant and may be widely dispersed by the sea, helping the plant to colonise new areas.
Yellow Horned-poppy is another pioneer plant which can withstand the harsh conditions on the coast. Like Sea-kale, it has very long roots, and hairy leaves to help reduce water loss. It gets its name from its flowers, each of which last a day, and its long horn-like seed pods which contain hundreds of small seeds.
Sea Beet or Sea Spinach is found in the intermediate community. It has glossy green leaves and tall angular stems which turns bright red. It was first cultivated about 2000 years ago in the Middle East as a vegetable.
Viper’s-bugloss is very distinctive with beautiful blue flowers. Bugloss comes from the Greek for ox-tongue because of the shape of the leaf. The stem and sometimes the leaves are speckled, supposedly like snake skin, and the dried seeds are thought to look like a snake head. Viper’s-bugloss is said to be a remedy for snake bite and also good for curing love sickness. The flowers are nectar-rich making the plant very good for invertebrates. Farmers often call it the blue devil as it has a very long root and so is hard to get rid of.
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Bittersweet or Woody Nightshade has red berries (deadly nightshade has black) and distinctive purple and yellow flowers. It gets its name because if you chew the roots or stem they taste bitter first, then sweet, but the berries are poisonous. It is common in woods and hedgerows where it climbs up other plants, but on shingle it grows low to the ground to protect itself from the strong winds common on the coast.
Sea Bindweed also grows low along the ground on shingle and sand dunes. It does not have tendrils like other bindweeds and much of the stem is buried. It is very pretty with pink and white flowers and kidney shaped leaves.
Sea Campion is pretty and seemingly delicate. It has very small leaves and grows in mats or cushions to protect itself from the wind.
Biting Stonecrop has succulent leaves to help it retain water and grows low to the ground, forming a mat to protect itself from the wind. It helps to bind the shingle together as it has lots of very thin, fibrous roots. Biting stonecrop is sometimes called wall-pepper because of its taste.
Sea-holly is low growing and has silvery coloured, leathery leaves. It grows towards the back of the beach or where there is rather more sand mixed in with the shingle. It has numerous medical qualities and is good for wind and as an expectorant. In the 17th century its roots were candied and sold as a delicacy.
Red Hemp-nettle has recently been classified as Critically Endangered in the UK. It is also a Nationally Scarce plant in the UK meaning it occurs in less than 100 10km squares. It was first recorded at Pevensey in 1999 and is continuing to do well in that area.
Sea Pea is another Nationally Scarce rarity, only found at Winchelsea and Rye. It grows low to the ground forming large mats helping to reduce the loss of freshwater.
Annual plants often colonise shingle beaches just above the strandline. Waves wash their floating seeds up onto the shingle in winter; the plants then germinate and complete their development during the summer, only to be carried away by the next autumn’s storms. More varied communities of both annual and perennial plants develop further inland on shingle that is less frequently inundated or wholly beyond the reach of the waves. The richest communities are found at sites, such as Rye Harbour, where large masses of shingle have accumulated because the beach has built outwards into the Channel.
Plants that colonise coastal shingle have to be well adapted to cope with the inhospitable environment. They need to endure copious amounts of salt spray, particularly in winter, as well as frequent high winds. Many species, such as Sea Pea, hug the surface of the shingle, forming mats, to avoid being desiccated or uprooted. Newly deposited shingle can be very unstable and difficult to colonise. However, Sea Campion and Stonecrops develop extensive root systems that very effectively bind loose shingle.
The comparative sterility of beach shingle presents plants with a further problem. Except where rotting seaweed and other organic materials have accumulated, essential nutrients tend to be in short supply. In addition, plants growing close to high water mark risk temporary submergence if an onshore gale happens to combine with a very high tide. It is not unknown for entire plant communities to be washed away during severe storm events.
Plant communities
Shingle plant communities develop in distinct zones.
The first is the ephemeral community, made up of a hardy annual plant
called Orache. This may appear as a
green haze
covering the shingle
just above the tide mark. Orache has to complete its life cycle quickly
as it is often washed away by the first of the autumn storms.
Immediately landward of the Orache is the pioneer community where only
a few species are able to grow. Typically there are a few individual
plants separated by large areas of bare shingle. These plants help bind
the shingle together and allow some soil to build up.
The intermediate community is much more diverse, with a mosaic of bare
shingle and clumps of vegetation.
The most landward zone is the established community. This is a rich
community of low-growing plants, mosses and lichens.
Plant species (click on names for pictures and/or more information)
Sea-kale is one of the first pioneer species. A type of cabbage, it is a large plant with a mass of white flowers and thick grey-green leaves with a waxy coating to reduce water loss. Its root which resembles a tap-root can be up to 2m long to reach the freshwater far below the ground surface. It is thought that the incoming tide pushes freshwater up to within reach of these roots twice a day.
Large seeds means they are less likely to get lost between the pebbles. The seeds are also buoyant and may be widely dispersed by the sea, helping the plant to colonise new areas.
Yellow Horned-poppy is another pioneer plant which can withstand the harsh conditions on the coast. Like Sea-kale, it has very long roots, and hairy leaves to help reduce water loss. It gets its name from its flowers, each of which last a day, and its long horn-like seed pods which contain hundreds of small seeds.
Sea Beet or Sea Spinach is found in the intermediate community. It has glossy green leaves and tall angular stems which turns bright red. It was first cultivated about 2000 years ago in the Middle East as a vegetable.
Viper’s-bugloss is very distinctive with beautiful blue flowers. Bugloss comes from the Greek for ox-tongue because of the shape of the leaf. The stem and sometimes the leaves are speckled, supposedly like snake skin, and the dried seeds are thought to look like a snake head. Viper’s-bugloss is said to be a remedy for snake bite and also good for curing love sickness. The flowers are nectar-rich making the plant very good for invertebrates. Farmers often call it the blue devil as it has a very long root and so is hard to get rid of.
Back to the top.
Bittersweet or Woody Nightshade has red berries (deadly nightshade has black) and distinctive purple and yellow flowers. It gets its name because if you chew the roots or stem they taste bitter first, then sweet, but the berries are poisonous. It is common in woods and hedgerows where it climbs up other plants, but on shingle it grows low to the ground to protect itself from the strong winds common on the coast.
Sea Bindweed also grows low along the ground on shingle and sand dunes. It does not have tendrils like other bindweeds and much of the stem is buried. It is very pretty with pink and white flowers and kidney shaped leaves.
Sea Campion is pretty and seemingly delicate. It has very small leaves and grows in mats or cushions to protect itself from the wind.
Biting Stonecrop has succulent leaves to help it retain water and grows low to the ground, forming a mat to protect itself from the wind. It helps to bind the shingle together as it has lots of very thin, fibrous roots. Biting stonecrop is sometimes called wall-pepper because of its taste.
Sea-holly is low growing and has silvery coloured, leathery leaves. It grows towards the back of the beach or where there is rather more sand mixed in with the shingle. It has numerous medical qualities and is good for wind and as an expectorant. In the 17th century its roots were candied and sold as a delicacy.
Red Hemp-nettle has recently been classified as Critically Endangered in the UK. It is also a Nationally Scarce plant in the UK meaning it occurs in less than 100 10km squares. It was first recorded at Pevensey in 1999 and is continuing to do well in that area.
Sea Pea is another Nationally Scarce rarity, only found at Winchelsea and Rye. It grows low to the ground forming large mats helping to reduce the loss of freshwater.
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to the top.