WHERE DOES KELP GROW? Rich in biodiversity, kelp forests grow along rocky shorelines, mostly on the Pacific coast, from Alaska to Baja, California. Alaska is home to three types of kelp: Macrocystis (two kinds, one of which is giant kelp), Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp) and Alaria fistulosa.

What ocean zone do kelp forests grow in?

Kelp forests grow predominantly on the Pacific Coast, from Alaska and Canada to the waters of Baja California.

How does kelp grow?

Held upright by gas-filled bladders at the base of leaflike blades, kelp fronds grow straight up to the surface toward sunlight, where they spread across the top of the water to form a dense canopy. Giant kelp often grows in turbulent water, which brings renewed supplies of nutrients.