A resilient native seagrass could offer a new path to restoring Florida's troubled coastal waters. Researchers found that Ruppia maritima can survive repeated flooding, poor water quality and other environmental stressors in the Indian River Lagoon, then regenerate from a persistent seed bank when conditions improve. Its successful cultivation and self-sustaining growth in a seagrass nursery suggest this hardy species could serve as a pioneer for jump-starting recovery in degraded coastal habitats.