Facts about Laminaria hyperborea 

Laminaria hyperborea is a large brown seaweed that typically grows to a length of 1-3 meters, though it can reach up to 5 meters. It features a robust, claw-like holdfast, a long, stiff, and textured stipe with a circular cross-section, and a blade that is about 1 meter long, heart-shaped at the base, and divided into finger-like segments at the top. 

Laminaria hyperborea typically grows on bedrock or other stable substrates in the sublittoral zone, from extreme low water to depths of about 30 meters in clear coastal waters. It forms dense forests under suitable conditions, providing important habitats for various marine organisms. It is found in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Its distribution ranges from the northern coast of Iceland and the Russian coast near Murmansk, down to Cape Mondego in mid-Portugal, as well as along the coasts of Norway, the Faroe Islands, northern France, and northern Spain. 

Laminaria hyperborea is economically significant due to its high alginate concentration, which is used in various products from thickening agents in food products such as ice cream and salad dressing, and in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and biotechnology. It is rich in dietary fibers, essential minerals and vitamins. These include iodine, potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E.