Kiawah Island Dune Plants
Story by Jane Ellis
Photographs by Paul Roberts
“D
o Not Walk on the Dunes” is
a sign frequently posted on
Kiawah’s beaches. We know
that dunes form natural
barriers that can help minimize the impact of
high flood tides, storm surges, and wind erosion.
They are also home to many bird species and other
wildlife. So walking on the dunes can destroy the
vegetation necessary for the stability and survival
of this fragile ecosystem. Dunes can be divided
into two main areas: the primary, or foredune, and
the secondary, or backdune.
The foredune or front dune plants are pioneers
in this dry, salty, and windy environment. Some
of the first plants to become established include
searocket (Cakile harperi), with its fleshy stems and
leaves, and Carolina saltwort (Salsola caroliniana)
or Russian thistle (Salsola kali), whose small sharp
pointed leaves can fragment and tumble down the
beach. Clumps of sea oats (Uniola paniculata) and
seaside panicum or panicgrass (Panicum amarum)
wave in the sea breezes and lay down vast root
systems supported by organic matter that has been
produced by decaying cordgrass or spartina.
Other stabilizing grasses include the seashore
saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) and sanddune
sandbur (Cenchrus tribuloides) or coastal sandbur
(Cenchrus spinifex). These last two plants release
their prickly burs in our socks, shoes, and pet’s fur.
The bushy seashore or sea elder (Iva imbricata),
dune evening primrose (Oenothera humifusa),
sea purslane (Sesuvium portulascastrum),
camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris), Mexican
tea (Dysphania ambrosioides) and beach croton or
silver-leaf croton (Croton punctatus) also inhabit
the front dunes.
Other plants found in this harsh environment
include the low-growing beach or fiddle-leaf
morning glory (Ipomoea stolonifera) with its
white flowers, dune spurge or seaside sandmat
(Chamaesyce polygonifolia), and seaside
pennywort (Hydrocotyle bonariensis). If you are
lucky you might find the rare seabeach amaranth
(Amaranthus pumilus).
Behind this foredune ridge are the protected
valleys or low areas of the backdune. These
waves of sand are somewhat stable and more
habitable. Many of the same front dune plants
can be found here along with