In China, the absence of dedicated equipment for separating stems and leaves of wakame leads to issues of high labor intensity, elevated labor costs, and poor working conditions in manual operations. A vertical roller type wakame stem and leaf separation apparatus was designed by using salted wakame as study object. The primary structural characteristics and operational parameters influencing the separation of wakame stem and leaf were identified by performing kinematic and force analyses on the process. ANSYS/LS-DYNA was used to build a stiff flexible coupling model for wakame stem leaf separation, and single factor simulation tests were carried out with structural parameters acting as influencing variables. Using the stripping rate as the assessment index，orthogonal simulation experiments were performed. Using Design-Expert software, the stem leaf separation device’s structural characteristics were optimized based on the trial results. The ideal structural parameters were found to be 140 mm for the leaf stripping roller，15 mm for the embedded rod diameter, and 10 embedded rods. The aforementioned structure was used to construct a prototype of wakame stem and leaf separation apparatus, and experimental study was carried out. Orthogonal experiments were conducted with clamping roller speed, stripping roller speed, and meshing depth as influencing factors, and stripping rate and damage rate as evaluation indicators. To find the ideal operating parameters, the maximum stripping rate and minimum damage rate were established as constraints： a 60 r/min clamping roller speed, a 400 r/min leaf stripping roller speed, and a 2 mm meshing depth. At this point, there was a 5.5% damage rate and an 84.3% stripping rate. After experimental verification, a peeling rate of 87.0% and a damage rate of 5.0% were obtained. In conclusion, the wakame stem and leaf separation apparatus may efficiently satisfy production requirements while reducing wakame damage.