Flower profile
Sea sandwort
Honckenya peploides
Sea sandwort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alaska
Quick look
Honckenya peploides, the sea sandwort (UK) or seaside sandplant (Canada), is the only species in the genus Honckenya of the plant family Caryophyllaceae. Other common names include sea chickweed, sea pimpernal, sea-beach sandwort, and sea purslane. The scientific name is often spelled "Honkenya", and is named after the German botanist Gerhard August Honckeny. This plant has a circumboreal distribution.
- It belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 13 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. NatureServe
- In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 856 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #51 among the 108 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist
Sea sandwort gift ideas
Handmade sea sandwort gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Sea sandwort art print
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Sea sandwort greeting card
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Sea sandwort mug
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Sea sandwort earrings
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Sea sandwort embroidery pattern
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Sea sandwort sticker
When does it bloom?
In Alaska, most flowering sightings come in May–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Alaska
- No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (SH), MD (S1), VA (SH). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records sea sandwort in 13 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington.
Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Ketchikan Gateway, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Sitka, Yakutat.
More Alaska flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile HOPE.
- iNaturalist, Honckenya peploides: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Honckenya (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Alaska: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Honckenya peploides (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: mfeaver via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.