SafePlants

Sea Rocket: A Coastal Pioneer

Sea rocket, belonging to the Cakile genus, is a fascinating plant often found thriving in harsh coastal environments. Several species exist, each with its own distribution and characteristics. This plant is known for its ability to colonize barren sandy areas where few other plants can survive.

Considerations for Pets

• Sea Rocket has fleshy leaves, which might be attractive to pets.

Considerations for Children

• Sea Rocket grows near coastlines.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

• Scientific Name: Cakile
• Common Name: Sea Rocket
• Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)

The Cakile genus comprises about seven species.

Distribution and Habitat

• Sea rockets are native to seashore regions of North America.
• Cakile edentula is native to the east coast of North America.
• Cakile maritima is native to Europe and the Mediterranean.
• The plants are commonly found along coastlines, including the British Isles, the Western Isles, and the Dutch North Sea coast.
• C. maritima has been introduced to the west coast of North America, from California to British Columbia.

Ecological Role

• Sea rocket is a pioneer species, colonizing bare coastal sand and binding soil.
• In some regions, such as Japan, American sea-rocket has become invasive.
• On the west coast of North America and in Australia, there have been cases of sequential invasion and replacement of species.

Morphological Characteristics

• Sea rocket forms a low mound with fleshy leaves.
• It is an annual plant.
• Sea Rocket is the only plant with lilac or mauve colored petals which also grows near the sea.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• An unknown root-knot nematode has been found infecting the feeder roots of European sea rocket in coastal dune soil.
• The Sand Dart (Agrotis ripae) eats Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima).