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Convolvulaceae
Sea Bindweed
Calystegia soldanella
Bonds that hold through storms.
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Genus
- Calystegia
- Native to
- Coastal regions worldwide, Europe, Americas, Asia, Australia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- perennial vine
- Height
- 0.5-1 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- sandy, coastal, saline
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 6-10
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Sea bindweed trails along the surface of sand dunes rather than climbing, sending stems horizontally across the sand to stabilize the surface — its deep rhizomes can descend over 3 feet into loose coastal sand.
- The kidney-shaped, fleshy, succulent leaves are coated with a waxy cuticle that dramatically reduces water loss in the salty, exposed coastal environment — a classic adaptation called sclerophylly.
- The showy pink-and-white striped funnel flowers are exactly the same form as garden morning glory — the family Convolvulaceae is remarkably consistent in flower shape across all habitats and climates.
- Sea bindweed has one of the widest natural coastal distributions of any flowering plant, growing on sandy beaches from the British Isles to Japan, Australia, South Africa, and both coasts of the Americas.
- The plant's seeds are buoyant and encased in a corky coat that makes them seaworthy — they can float in seawater for months without losing viability, explaining the plant's near-global distribution on sandy beaches.
Color meanings
0
bonds
1
steadfastness
2
coastal endurance