Crithmum maritimum <br>ROCK SAMPHIRE, SEA SAMPHIRE, SEA FENNEL

Crithmum is known as rock samphire, sea fennel or samphire. It is found on coastlines throughout much of Europe, Macaronesia, parts of West Asia and North Africa in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts.

In the 17th century, Shakespeare in King Lear referred to the dangerous practice of collecting rock samphire from cliffs. "Half-way down, Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!" 

In England, rock samphire is cultivated in gardens, where it grows readily in a light, rich soil. In the United Kingdom the uprooting of wild plants is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. A reclaimed piece of land called Samphire Hoe, is named after rock samphire. Rock samphire used to be harvested from the neighbouring cliffs.

Type: Hardy perennial

Hardiness zones: 6-9

Height: 16", 40cm

Location: Sun

Seeds per packet: 50