FNPS Plant Database

Sesuvium portulacastrum

sea-purslane, shoreline seapurslane, cenicilla
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

sea-purslane, shoreline seapurslane, cenicilla

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Family:

Aizoaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Flower

Size:

.3–.5 ft tall by wide–spreading ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink, lavender

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Evergreen. Succulent. Blooms year round

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Use as a groundcover in moist coastal settings.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Division.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Aquatic -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

Calcareous (high pH)

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies

Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) butterflies (USFWS, Federal Register, 2011-08-10 ) Attracts native bees including metallic bees.

Native Habitats:

Coastal forests, coastal dunes

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The succulent leaves are edible and somewhat salty.

General Comments:

An important sand stabilizer in the pioneer zone of beach dunes and can tolerate occasional flooding by sea water.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Florida Wildflower Foundation. (2024). Flower Friday: Shoreline seapurslane. ( https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-sesuvium-portulacastrum/ ). Accessed 2026. Florida Wildflower Foundation, Maitland.


Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Nelson, Gil. (2003). Florida's Best Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Payne, Daniel. (2025). Sesumvium porulacastrum (Perennial sea purslane). ( https://naturescapesofbeaufort.com/product/sesuvium-portulacastrum-sea-purslane/ ). Accessed 2026. Naturescapes, Beaufort, SC.


Rogers, George. (2017). Sea-Purslane and the Sucky Salt (blog post) [in] Treasure Coast Natives. ( https://treasurecoastnatives.wordpress.com/2017/08/18/sea-purslane-and-the-sucky-salt/ ). Accessed 2026.


U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2011). Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Emergency Listing of the Miami Blue Butterfly as Endangered, and Emergency Listing of the Cassius Blue, Ceraunus Blue, and Nickerbean Blue Butterflies as Threatened Due to Similarity of Appearance to the Miami Blue Butterfly. ( https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2011-08-10/pdf/2011-19812.pdf ). Accessed 2026.

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