SIZE : From 2 m to 3 m.
LIFE EXPECTANCY : Less than one year.
LIFE CYCLE : In the Gaspé Peninsula, the fronds of leathery kelp are fertile from late September to December.
The algae releases spores, then dies, slowly degrading throughout the winter. The spores give birth to organisms called gametophytes. It is in this form that the algae hibernates. The following spring, the gametophytes produce male and female reproductive cells. When these cells meet, new leathery kelp is formed.
The algae grows from the area between the stipe and the frond. Even if its tips are damaged, it will continue to grow.