photos by Greg Hofmann

11/25/02: Notice a difference in these two shots of Carneros Creek, taken in September and November? The plant that gives this marsh its distinctive color is the succulent, picklweed (Salicornia virginica), a mainstay plant species throughout the low-lying lands of the slough. Pickleweed is a saltwater-tolerant plant, a halophyte. It solves the problem of water extraction by being saltier than the water it grows in (taste it!), storing the extra salt in its branch tips. In the fall it turns red, then the tips wither and drop off, taking the extra salt with them. In the spring, new, green shoots will sprout from the old rootstalks.