Oysterleaf
Also called oyster plant
- Iñupiaq name: Unavailable
- Family: Boraginaceae
- Scientific name: Mertensia maritima
- Distinguishing characteristics: Fleshy blue green stems and oval shaped leaves delicately trailing low to the ground. Small blue flowers in clusters at the ends of stems.
- Similar species: Oysterleaf does not closely resemble any other plant growing on the North Slope. The small blue flowers and chalk-like cast on the leaves are a sure giveaway!
- Habitat: Sandy, gravelly beaches along the coastal areas of the North Slope.
- Best time to harvest: The leaves can be harvested from spring to fall.
- Uses: Leaves can be eaten raw. Some foragers say they taste like oysters, others say the mucilaginous texture is reminiscent of the beloved mollusk.
![Oysterleaf](/cms4/asset/6F99D1CE-DBE7-F3DE-66600231C5B6FB5C/mertensia_maritima1aep[1598542394].jpg)
Photo courtesy of the GVSU Arctic Ecology Program
![Oysterleaf](/cms4/asset/6F99D1CE-DBE7-F3DE-66600231C5B6FB5C/mertensia_maritima2aep[1598542394].jpg)
Photo courtesy of the GVSU Arctic Ecology Program
![Oysterleaf](/cms4/asset/6F99D1CE-DBE7-F3DE-66600231C5B6FB5C/mertensia_maritima3[1598542394].jpg)
Photo via Flora of Svalbard