Swamp Samphire
Sarcocornia quinqueflora, S. blackiana; also Tecticornia spp.
Also known as: Swamp Samphire, Glasswort, Beaded Glasswort, Chicken Claws
'Sarcocornia' derives from the Greek 'sarco' (flesh) and 'cornu' (horn), describing the fleshy, jointed, horn-like stems. 'Glasswort' is a historical European name – the plant was burned to produce plant ash (containing soda) used in early glass-making. The charming 'chicken claws' common name perfectly describes the jointed, scaly appearance of the stems. Sarcocornia and Tecticornia species are highly specialised halophytes (salt-loving plants) that grow in intertidal saltmarshes, mangrove margins, tidal flats, and coastal lagoons throughout Australia. They are succulent, leafless plants reduced to jointed, cylindrical, fleshy segments stacked like tiny beads. They are ecologically important, providing habitat and food for shorebirds and marine invertebrates. They have a pleasant, crisp, salty, slightly mineral flavour and are highly prized in modern restaurant kitchens.
When to Forage
Year-round; best in spring and summer when growth is freshest and most tender.
Cautions
High sodium content – those on sodium-restricted diets (heart failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease) should eat only sparingly. Safe for most healthy adults in culinary quantities.
Nutrition
Rich in minerals: sodium (very high), potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Contains flavonoids, beta-carotene, and vitamin C, and provides dietary fibre. Calorie-poor, and a useful electrolyte-rich food after physical exertion in a coastal setting.
How to Identify
- Leafless, jointed, succulent stems composed of bead-like cylindrical segments stacked end to end – the joints give a 'chicken claws' or 'beaded' appearance.
- Colour ranges from bright green to yellow-green to deep red (red forms occur when stressed by high salinity or intense sun).
- Tiny, inconspicuous flowers are embedded within the tissue at the joints – visible only on close inspection.
- Found growing in intertidal saltmarsh and mudflats – feet-wet in salty water, no other plant looks quite like it in this habitat.
Lookalikes
At a distance, the jointed stems could visually suggest mangrove aerial roots, but texture and context (the samphire is a plant above ground, pneumatophores emerge from sediment) make confusion unlikely on close inspection.
Multiple species occur in Australian saltmarshes; all are edible and similarly flavoured.
How to Forage
Snap off fresh, bright green stem tips (the upper 5–10 cm of new growth) – these tips are tender and snapping-crisp, while older, harder basal sections are woody. Rinse briefly in fresh water to remove mud, then enjoy. No further preparation is needed for fresh eating, and the plant is salty enough to require no seasoning.
Recipe — Samphire and Asparagus Salad — Ottolenghi
Ingredients: 1/2 tbsp black sesame seeds (toasted lightly in a pan); 12 thick asparagus spears (trim the base where it breaks away naturally, then boil for 2–3 minutes and put in cold water to stop the cooking); 50 g swamp samphire (boiled for a minute then put in cold water to stop the cooking); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tbsp sesame oil; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; a small bowl of picked tarragon leaves (the original recipe uses only 2 tbsp); coarse sea salt and black pepper. Method: Dry the boiled asparagus and samphire with a kitchen towel. Mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper – depending on the samphire used, salt may or may not be required. Inspo: a samphire and tomato salad (insalata di asparagi di mare e pomodori).
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