Beach plants

Beaches are an extremely difficult terrain for plants as wind, waves and surge tear away every vegetation. Only very few short-lived or deep-rooted flowering plants are able to exist on beaches. They often use the nutrients originating from old winter flotsams which offer a short growth opportunity as maritime compost. Winter storms destroy these growth sites and generate new sites elsewhere. 

http://www.schutzstation-wattenmeer.de/wissen/pflanzen/strand