Beaded and thick-headed glasswort

Beaded and thick-headed glasswort
Image: Derwent Estuary Program
Community type

Succulent herbland

Habitat type

Saltmarsh and tidal flats

The ground-hugging glassworts are perhaps the most salt tolerant of all saltmarsh plants. The bright green beaded glasswort is more common, and grows mainly in the middle and lower estuary. It also occupies damp crevices on rocky shores. The less common thick headed glasswort is blue-green, slightly larger, and prefers drier ground. The fragile air breathing snail often clings to its branches.

Much of the text within the species area of our website was written by Veronica Thorpe, as part of the Derwent River Wildlife Guide (2000).

The DEP has developed a variety of classroom and outdoor activities focused around the key estuary habitats of tidal wetlands, salt marshes and rocky reefs. These include classroom materials, online resources, interpretive walks, games and sensory experiences.