Sea Aster - Aster tripolium or Tripolium pannonicum

The Seaside Aster, in Latin Tripolium pannonicum or formerly Aster tripolium, is a biennial halophyte plant. This means that it is only found in salty environments, as salt is essential to its metabolism once the juvenile stage has passed. It is nicknamed "sea spinach" because it can be cooked like spinach and accompanies all meats and fish. The young leaves can also be used raw in salads. It is a plant reserved for coastal gardeners who will plant it in very moist soil, by a pond, in a floodable meadow, on the banks of a basin, but always in a saline environment.

The Seaside Aster belongs to the Asteraceae family. It can be found in salt marshes, and in flooded salt meadows. It is a biennial plant that forms a clump of leafy stems in the first year, then blooms and produces seeds in the second year before dying. It grows to about 50cm (20in) tall and 35-40cm (14-16in) wide, with a bushy habit and branched stems. Its leaves are deciduous, appearing in spring and falling in autumn. The leaves are spatulate in shape, smooth, pale green to dark green, and slightly shiny. Only the young leaves, measuring no more than 1-2 cm (0-1in), are consumed. The plant blooms in late summer and autumn. Its flowers are organised into heads measuring 2 to 2.5cm (1in) in diameter. Each head, or "flower," consists of a central yellow disc surrounded by ligulate petals of various colours, such as lilac, blue, or white.

The young leaves of the seaside aster have a slightly sweet flavour, somewhat reminiscent of artichoke. They can be consumed in multiple ways: cooked and served with béchamel sauce, gratin, braised, or chilled with a cream sauce. They are also excellent when eaten raw in salads.

Harvesting: Mainly done in spring, as only the young leaves are consumed.

Storage: The leaves can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator, wrapped in paper towels. They can also be frozen after being blanched for a few minutes in boiling water.