Cute Young Blonde Girl With Tan Lines Posing With A Blue Scarf On The Beach Grasses At The Sea

Ammophila builds coastal sand dunes and thus stabilizes the sand. For this reason, the plants have been introduced far from their native range. Alfred Wiedemann writes that, starting in the early 19th century, Ammophila arenaria "has been introduced into virtually every British colonial settlement within its latitudinal tolerance range, including southeast and southwest Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Falkland Islands, and Norfolk Island. It has been planted widely in Japan and has been reported from Argentina and Chile." Ammophila species were introduced in the late 19th century on the Pacific coast of North America as well, and massive, intentional plantings were continued at least through 1960. In essentially all of the locations where they have been introduced, Ammophila plants are now listed as invasive, and costly efforts are underway to eradicate them.
Species
Only two species seem incontrovertible: A. arenaria and A. breviligulata.