Beach Morning Glory

ou’ll find the salt tolerant Railroad Vine flourishing along beaches, where it works to stabilize the dunes. Considered a perennial, the flowering vine can grow up to several feet in length with small nodes located along its long stems. Its name comes from the Latin for “goat foot” – which the leaves resemble. The flowers have dark centers that fade into pale pink petals. They are at the height of their beauty in the morning, which is why some consider the vine a “morning glory.” The Railroad Vine has a wide range of herbal remedy uses: in Australia, people use the plant in a poultice for sting ray stings; in Brazil it’s used for treating inflammation; and in the Philippines, it’s used for colic, whitlow, piles and rheumatism.