This is a creeping, prostrate, hairless perennial which grows on some of our sandy sea-shores and dunes. It has large (3-5cm across) funnel or trumpet-shaped pink flowers with five equally spaced white lines which guide the main pollinator, a hawkmoth, towards the centre of the flower. The calyx is made up of 5 lobes which are within two large, overlapping bracts. Initially one might mistake this wildflower for a somewhat similar plant, Field Bindweed, but not only are the latter’s flowers smaller, but their leaves are also quite unlike one another’s. It blooms from June to September. The leaves of the Sea Bindweed are large, dark green and kidney-shaped and also quite fleshy which probably aids moisture retention. This is a native plant belonging to the family Convolvulaceae.
I first identified this plant in Derrynane, Co Kerry in 1977 and photographed it at Killoughter, Co Wicklow in 2006.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
