FNPS Plant Database
Batis maritima
saltwort, turtleweed
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Nomenclature
Common Name:
saltwort, turtleweed
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Batis maritima
Family:
Bataceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
shrub
Size:
2-4 ft tall; much broader than tall
Life Span:
long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
white, green
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
evergreen
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Coastal stabilization is salt-flat areas. Can be used ornamentally as a groundcover or bush-like mound in coastal areas.
Considerations:
Availability:
Propagation:
layering, cuttings
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry
Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Usually moist, occasional inundation
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation)
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand
Soil pH:
calcareous (high pH)
Suitable to Grow In:
8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Larval host and adult nectar plant for the great Southern white (Ascia monuste) and Eastern pygmy blue (Brephidium isophthalma) butterflies (Florida Cooperative Extension Service, 2002)
Native Habitats:
Saltmarshes and flats
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
It can be eaten as a salty salad herb. Ashes from this plant were once used in soap; however it was apparently toxic if used in abundance. Used to treat a variety of skin conditions.
General Comments:
Citations:
Gann, G.D., C.J. Abbott, C.G. Stocking, K.N. Hines, and collaborators. Natives For Your Neighborhood. https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Batimari , accessed 2025. The Institute for Regional Conservation. Delray Beach, Florida.
Patton, Sean, and Kendall Southworth. 2025. Florida's Aquatic Butterfly Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful Backyard Habitat for Attracting 70+ Species with 100+ Native Plants. Pineapple Press, Palm Beach.
