This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.

The seashore mallow, a salt-tolerant plant known for its brilliant hibiscus-like blooms, may bring a whole new meaning to “flower power” thanks to work being done by Delaware Sea Grant researchers. They are examining seashore mallow’s potential as a biofuel and as a viable crop to grow on low-lying farmland that is increasingly exposed to salt water. The researchers are studying the plant at the University of Delaware’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes and at a nearby field site. With further understanding of the native marsh perennial’s many strengths, including its oil-rich seeds, ability to grow on non-arable land, and erosion-fighting deep-root system, Delaware farmers may soon have an option for sustaining the ecological and economic uses of agricultural land threatened by sea-level rise. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.