Suriana maritima is used in the horticultural industry for coastal plantings because of its salt and drought tolerance. Suriana maritima is a spreading, much-branched, evergreen shrub that usually grows up to 3 meters tall but exceptionally reaches 7 meters. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. It is grown to stabilize sand dunes and beaches, and is also sometimes used as an ornamental, especially for hedges and screens. Suriana maritima occurs in Central and South America, Oceania and along the coasts of the Indian Ocean. In tropical Africa it occurs in coastal Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and the Indian Ocean Islands. In Mauritius the aerial parts are used as an astringent and to cure dysentery. It is also used as a poultice to treat wounds caused by poisonous fish. Elsewhere decoctions of leaves and branches are used as a bath to cure arthritis, applied externally to clean wounds and taken internally to treat rectal bleeding. The wood is used in the Virgin Islands to make small articles. In southern Florida the plant is used as an ornamental, especially for hedges and screens. It helps stabilize beaches and coastal dunes.
Seeds are Stored in a Refrigerator to Maintain Viability
Growing Instructions
1. Soak the seeds in water for several hours.
2. Put a mixture of potting soil and sand or perlite into a pot with drainage holes in the base. The soil should be moist and well-drained.
3. Sow the seeds on the soil.
4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
5. Water the seeds. Keep the soil moist but not wet.
6. When the plants are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.