Tropical Seeds Wash Up In Texas, Sparking Local Curiosity

Texas beachcombers have stumbled across strange and rare tropical seeds washed up along the Texas coast. The seeds are long, sleek, and torpedo-shaped, almost like playing darts, and are about 8 inches long.

Without hitting up Google, do you know what they are?

Rare Seeds

Director of Community Engagement at the Harte Research Institute, Jace Tunnell, says the seeds found along beaches on the Texas coast are hundreds of red mangrove seeds that drifted over from tropical regions. The seeds are pretty nifty. They were essentially designed by nature to float until they find the right place to establish roots and grow. (Kind of like me, in my 20s.)

More About The Red Mangrove

Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) is native to places like Mexico and Florida and can grow a whopping 80 feet tall. They aren't very common in Texas, but were known to exist here in the Coastal Bend for some period before a terrible freeze in 2021.

The roots of the mangrove create fish nursery habitats and help to stabilize the shorelines. Alligators are also said to be very fond of mangrove because it helps to serve as a buffer from big coastal storm surges.

You can't eat red mangroves, but they do have a history of traditional use in medicine. The bark can be used to treat bruises, boils, and fungal infections.

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