Protected against harsh conditions

As mentioned in a previous publication, helm grass is what we encounter in the dunes among others in the Netherlands. The Ammophillia arenaria can withstand the salty water and salty sea air. Ammophillia arenaria can be planted on all types of soil, only on clay soil it is best to make the soil poor with masonry sand. The soil must be calcareous.

On the cross-section of the grass blade we can see how the plant protects itself by rolling the leaf inwards. One could say that the plant creates its own small internal microclimate in which it can breathe comfortably and keep humidity. On the outside of the grass blade we see a solid protective layer of cells.

On the image taken with the fluorescence microscope one of the cell groups is indicated which enable the leaf to unroll under humid conditions by ‘pumping’ these cells full of water. In this way it can control the said microclimate depending on the atmospheric conditions.

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