Photo: Brooke SmithCC BY 4.0via PlantoScanresized / cropped
Beach Cabbage Plant Care
Scaevola taccada (Gaertn.) Roxb.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Scaevola taccada, also known as beach cabbage, sea lettuce, or beach naupaka, is a flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae found in mangrove swamps and rocky or sandy coastal locations in the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific. It is a common beach shrub throughout the Arabian Sea, the tropical Indian Ocean and the tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean.
Full sun to partial shade
At a glance
How do you care for Beach Cabbage?
Beach Cabbage grows best in full sun to partial shade.
What Is the Beach Cabbage?
Beach Cabbage (Scaevola taccada) belongs to the Goodeniaceae family within the Scaevola genus. Beach Cabbage is native to mangrove swamps and rocky or sandy coastal locations in the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific. Beach Cabbage is also known as Sea Lettuce, Naupaka, Dune Naupaka.
Beach Cabbage displays a low spreading groundcover growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Beach Cabbage produces fan-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, or white.
What Light Does the Beach Cabbage Need?
Beach Cabbage thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Beach Cabbage?
Well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Beach Cabbage to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Beach Cabbage?
Repot every 1-2 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Beach Cabbage?
Beach Cabbage can be propagated through softwood cuttings, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to acacia scaevola plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Beach Cabbage Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Beach Cabbage, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Beach Cabbage?
Beach Cabbage is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Beach Cabbage is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Scaevola genus — compare its care with other Scaevola species on PlantoScan.
Scaevola is part of the Goodeniaceae plant family — browse all Goodeniaceae genera and species.
Beach Cabbage thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Scaevola Species
Other Scaevola species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Scaevola taccada (Gaertn.) Roxb., family Goodeniaceae (first published in Hort. Bengal. 15. 1814) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Beach Cabbage, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Photo: Brooke Smith, CC BY 4.0, PlantoScan — original.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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