Ecklonia maxima — the giant kelp of the West Coast

The species

A forest that grows back faster than it is harvested

Ecklonia maxima — commonly called sea bamboo — is a giant brown kelp found almost exclusively along the cool, nutrient-rich West Coast of South Africa. Each plant is anchored to the reef by a holdfast, from which a long, hollow stipe rises toward the light, carrying a canopy of broad golden fronds at the surface.

It is among the fastest-growing organisms on the planet, adding length daily as it draws on the upwelled nutrients of the Benguela current. That growth is what makes a well-managed harvest possible: the fronds are cut, the plant lives, and the canopy regrows.

Through its controlling shareholding in a dedicated subsidiary, Atlantis Sea-Agri Products secures access rights to one of South Africa's largest harvesting concessions of Ecklonia maxima, and harvests more than 3,000 tons of kelp every year — with the whole plant put to use, from frond to stipe.

Why it matters as a biostimulant

Concentrated ocean nutrition, returned to the soil

Because kelp grows so fast, it accumulates an exceptional density of minerals, amino acids, vitamins and natural plant-growth compounds. When it is processed gently — as a fresh hydrolysate rather than a harsh extract — those compounds stay active, and the result is one of the most studied biostimulants in agriculture.

Applied to crops, Ecklonia maxima extracts are associated with stronger root development, improved germination, better tolerance of heat, drought and salinity stress, and improved nutrient uptake — which is why they sit at the heart of our seaweed-based fertiliser and biostimulant range.