This salt-tolerant member of the aster family is found in saltwater marshes, tidal flats, and
lagoons. It is native to the southeastern United States.
Plants: These shrubby plants form colonies. Plants are 2-4′ (60-121 cm) high.
Leaves: Leaves are fleshy, opposite, gray-green, obovate, and fuzzy, with fine hairs on
both sides, 2-4″ (5-10 cm) long.
Flowers: Flowers are yellow, appearing July-August. A single flower
appears atop each stem. Each flower
has 15-30 yellow rays and brownish-yellow flowers in the central disc. The central disc contains
20-75 ray florets.
Fruits: Ray flowers fall off, leaving a central brown dome of sharp
projections. A single barely noticeable 4-sided achene, shaped like a pointed tooth and 1/16-⅛″ (3-4 mm) long, is produced
in each flowerhead.