Zosteraceae

Eelgrass

Zostera marina L.

Family: Zosteraceae
Genus: Zostera

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Eelgrass (Zostera marina) — FlowerPhoto: Георгий Виноградов (Georgy Vinogradov), CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (31)

Arabic: حزامية بحرية
arz: حزاميه بحريه
Asturian: Xebra
Bulgarian: Обикновена морска трева
Cantonese: 大葉藻, 丁癸草根, 海帶, 鰻草
Chinese: 大叶藻, 大葉藻, 丁癸草根, 海带, 鳗草, 太平洋大叶藻, 太平洋大葉藻, 太平洋鳗草
Croatian: Morska svilina
csb: Mòrskô czidzëna
Czech: Vocha mořská
Danish: Almindelig Bændeltang, Almindelig Ålegræs, Bændeltang, Ålegræs
Dutch: Groot zeegras
English: Eelgrass, Seawrack, Eel-grass
Estonian: Pikk merihein
Finnish: Meriajokas
French: Zostère marine, Grande zostère, Mélèze, Pailleule
frr: Gewöönelk siagäärs
German: Gewöhnliches Seegras, Echtes Seegras
hsb: Prawa mórska rězna
Hungarian: Közönséges tengerifű
Icelandic: Marhálmur
Japanese: アマモ, リュウグウノオトヒメノモトユイノキリハズシ, 甘藻
Korean: 거머리말
Lithuanian: Jūrinis andras
Norwegian Bokmål: Ålegras, Ålegress
Norwegian Nynorsk: Ålegras
Russian: Взморник морской, Зостера морская
Slovenian: Prava morska trava, Morska trava, Prava morska zvezdasta magnolija,, Zvezdasta magnolija
Spanish: Ceba, Hierba de mar, Hierba de vidrieros, Sebas de mar, Sedas de mar
Swedish: Bandtång, Dvärgbandtång, Vanlig bandtång, Ålgräs
Ukrainian: Зостера морська
Welsh: Gwellt y gamlas

Synonyms

Alga marina (L.) Lam.
Zostera latifolia Morong
Zostera marina f. latifolia (Morong) Setch.
Zostera marina f. sulcatifolia Setch.
Zostera marina f. typica Setch.
Zostera marina var. atam T.W.H.Backman
Zostera marina var. izembekensis T.W.H.Backman
Zostera marina var. latifolia Morong
Zostera marina var. latifolia Gray
Zostera marina var. major Roth
Zostera marina var. marina
Zostera marina var. phillipsii T.W.H.Backman
Zostera marina var. stenophylla (Raf.) Asch. & Graebn.
Zostera maritima Gaertn.
Zostera oregana S.Watson
Zostera pacifica S.Watson
Zostera stenophylla Raf.

Flowers

In flower: March to September (from 21 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Alaska: native, Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native, St. Pierre and Miquelon: native

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Георгий Виноградов (Georgy Vinogradov), CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: J Straka, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Duarte Frade, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Георгий Виноградов (Georgy Vinogradov), CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 09:28, 16 September 2006, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Tomas Pocius, CC0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 09:28, 16 September 2006, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Lucian Vazquez, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Ruppia2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: alicia penney, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Nozères, Claude, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Duarte Frade, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

More in Zostera

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.