Ten Cool Facts About Bull Kelp

   1. Bull kelp is the largest form of brown algae. It has a large bulb on the end of a
      long tail called a stipe. It is attached to the sea floor by it's roots called a holdfast.
      Attached to the bulb are long flowing blades of kelp.

    2. The bulbous float at the end of the kelp is filled with up to 10% carbon monoxide
        gas. The gas filled bulb floats on the surface of the ocean allowing the plant to get
                                                            the sunlight it needs.

3.  Bull kelp is an annual plant that grows entirely in one season, spring to fall. It can grow up to 2 feet in one day
    alone. It can grow to a total length of up to 80 ft. The blades can grow up to 10 ft long.

4. Bull kelp grow in "forests" along the rocky shelves of ocean headlands. They help reduce the effects of corrosion as
    well as warn boaters of shallow reefs.

5. They are a unique biosphere that shelter many species of fish, shellfish and jellies. They are a great feeding ground
    for seals.

6. Bull kelp has many names including; bull whip kelp, ribbon kelp, giant kelp, horsetail kelp and sea otter's cabbage.

7. Kelp extracts are used as a thickener in products such as salad dressing, ice cream, hand lotion and paint.

8. Bull kelp is often used to make sushi. There are recipes for Bull Kelp salad and soup etc. It is very nutritious.

9. As the bull kelp dies in the winter and washes up on beaches it serves a useful purpose as a source of food and
   shelter for sand crabs, beach fleas and periwinkles.

10. First Nations people used dried kelp stipe to make fishing lines.