Crithmum maritimum

The Crithmum maritimum, commonly known as Sea fennel or Rock Samphire, is known as Sea Fennel due to its flowering being quite similar to that of fennel, or Stone Breaker, as it often settles in cliffs and between rocks along the coast, directly exposed to sea spray. It is an edible and medicinal perennial plant with long, light green fleshy leaves and a very long flowering period in umbels of yellowish flowers visited by pollinating insects. Sea fennel is ideal for coastal gardens that is left for nature, where its excellent drought resistance will be put to good use. 

The Rock Samphire belongs to the Apiaceae family (formerly Umbelliferae), like wild carrot, fennel, parsley, and celery. It is a widespread native plant along coastlines. It can be found in rocky and dune environments on dry and salty soils. Its cold resistance is quite limited, although it can withstand short frosts of around -10°C (14°F) in the very well-drained soils it prefers.

Crithmum maritimum is a perennial plant that forms small, rounded to spreading bushy clumps. Its vegetation measures about 40 cm (16in) in height and 50 cm (20in) in width. Its stems bear evergreen foliage in winter. The leaves are slightly succulent and filled with juice. They are long and slender, light green in colour, aromatic when crushed, and have an aniseed and iodine flavour. Flowering begins in June in the form of umbels composed of numerous green flower buds. The open flowers are white to yellowish in colour, visited by pollinating insects, and continue to bloom throughout the summer. They then produce achenes containing seeds that can spontaneously reseed themselves between stones or in sandy soils. Leaves, fruits, and roots are traditionally used in herbal medicine.

Rock samphire will thrive in dry stone walls, natural rockeries, gravel beds, and arid slopes... Everywhere, the soil is poor, shallow, and well-drained. It can also be cultivated in pots, in a poor and well-draining growing medium such as cactus soil, with fairly regular watering. In a naturalistic-style border, it connects with other plants without overshadowing them. In a coastal garden, it can be combined with creeping rosemary, Globularia alypum, Convolvulus cneorum, armeria maritima, and other coastal plants. It is one of the few Mediterranean plants that flowers in summer despite the heat and drought!