Marsh Elder, iva frutescens, is a very common species on Dewees Island.  Also known as the high tide bush, it grows on the outer coastal plain, and is a fleshy perennial that grows 3-6 feet tall.  It can tolerate some salinity and the occasional wash-over of brackish water.  It is commonly found with sea oxeye daisy and salt myrtle or groundsel, and together they form what Porcher calls the “salt marsh thicket.”

Iva frutescens in flower
Marsh elder, iva frutescens, in flower.

 

http://www.nativeplantcenter.net/?q=plants/387

 

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