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Dieren en planten

Plants   Brown seaweed   Sea belt   Flora of the sea floor   Seaweeds   Flora of the sea dikes   

Water en land

Rocky coasts   Sea dikes (biotope)   Delta   Oosterschelde   

Mens en Milieu

Sea belt

size:

up to 3 meters long

shape:

stem with long pointed tongue

habitat:

sheltered areas

  • Dut: Suikerwier
  • Lat: Saccharina latissima (Laminaria saccharina)
  • Eng: Sea belt, poor man's weather glass, sugar kelp
  • Ger: Zuckertang
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Sea belt, foto fitis, sytske dijksen

Sea belt

Just like oarweed, sea belt also looks like long leathery ribbons. However, the fronds are lancet-shaped with wavy edges. Roots that cling to stones and shells give the seaweed a sturdy base under water. When wet, the leaves feel slippery due to a kind of mucus. When dried up, a white powdery 'sugar' forms on its fronds, giving sea belt its nickname sugar kelp. In fact, this seaweed is used as a natural sugar substitute.

  • Distribution and habitat

    In the Netherlands, sea belt grows in the Oosterschelde, Huisduinen, the Wadden Sea (along the Marsdiep and near the harbour of Terschelling). You often find it together with oarweed, however it doesn't grow as well in waters with lots of waves as oarweed. Sea belt is one of the Netherland's largest seaweed.