Meerfenchel

Prefers a moist light sandy or gravelly soil, doing very well between stones or by a south-east facing wall. Requires a warm dry well-drained sunny position and shade from the midday sun. Requires saline conditions. Plants are best grown in moist salty soil or a very well-drained poor dry soil. When grown away from the coast, this plant requires a warm sheltered position and some protection in cold winters. At one time this plant was sometimes cultivated in the vegetable garden, though it is quite difficult to do this successfully. It is difficult to grow outside its natural habitat. Rock Samphire grows relatively quickly, establishing itself in sandy or rocky coastal environments and spreading over time. Rock Samphire is self-fertile. It is typically harvested in spring and early summer when the young leaves are tender. Rock Samphire generally flowers in summer.

Edible Parts: Leaves Seedpod Edible Uses: Leaves - raw or cooked. Vaguely reminiscent of fennel, but the taste is more bitter and brackish. A powerful salty flavour, it has been described by one person as tasting like 'a mixture of celery and kerosene'. The leaves are used as a flavouring in salads etc. Gathered in spring, the young leaves when sprinkled with salt and boiled make a very good pickle. The leaves are rich in vitamin C. Seed pods. They are used to make a warm aromatic pickle.

Essential Agroforestry uses: Rock Samphire can be used in coastal erosion control due to its salt tolerance and ability to stabilize sandy soils. It can also be included in coastal restoration projects. An essential oil from the plant is used in perfumery. 1. Nectary - Flowers rich in nectar and pollen: Yes – Rock samphire flowers can attract pollinators, providing nectar and pollen that benefit bees and other insects. 2. Wildlife - Food (Fruit, Seeds, Leaf litter, Shelter, Nesting, Roosting): Yes – The leaves are edible for humans and can be consumed by some wildlife as well. However, it may not provide significant shelter or nesting sites, as it typically grows in coastal habitats rather than as dense foliage. 3. Invertebrate Shelter (Overwintering sites, Leaf litter, Groundcover): Yes – Rock samphire can provide habitat for invertebrates, especially in coastal environments where it grows. Its structure may offer some overwintering sites for beneficial insects. 4. Pest Confuser (Smell): Yes – The strong, salty flavour and aroma of rock samphire may deter certain pests, contributing to a healthier garden ecosystem.

Heimisch: Albania, Algeria, Azores, Açores, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Corse, Corvo Island, Cyprus, DK, Desertas, East Aegean Is., Egypt, England (England, Wales, Isle of Man, Scotland, Isles of Scilly); Ireland (Ireland, Northern Ireland); Netherlands; Germany [I] (Niedersachsen [I], Schleswig-Holstein [I]); Portugal; Spain; Gibraltar; Baleares (Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca); France; Monaco; Channel Isl. (Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey, Sark); Corsica; Sardinia; Italy; Sicily; Pantelleria; Isole Pelagie (Lampedusa); Malta; Slovenia; Croatia; Montenegro; Albania; Romania; Bulgaria; European Turkey; Greece (widespread coastal); Crete (incl. islets); Crimea; Morocco; Algeria; Tunisia; Libya; Egypt (NW-coastal Egypt); Azores (Santa Maria Isl., Sao Miguel Isl., Terceira, Graciosa, Sao Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores Isl., Corvo Isl.); Madeira (Madeira Isl., Ilhas Desertas, Porto Santo Isl.); Canary Isl. (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, Hierro, La Palma); W-Northern Caucasus; Georgia [Caucasus]; East Aegaean Isl. (widespread, incl. Rhodos); Turkey (N-Anatolia, NE-Anatolia, NW-Anatolia: Bithynia, SSW-Anatolia, W-Anatolia, WN-Anatolia); Cyprus (E-Cyprus, N-Cyprus, S-Cyprus, W-Cyprus); Lebanon (coastal W-Lebanon); Syria (coastal W-Syria); Israel (coastal W-Israel); Sinai peninsula (N-Sinai), Faial Island, Flanders, Flemish Region, Flores Island, France, Graciosa Island, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Madeira Island, Morocco, NO, NW. Balkan Pen., Netherlands, North Caucasus, Palestine, Pico Island, Porto Santo island, Portugal, Portugal Continental, Romania, SE, Santa Maria Island, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, São Jorge Island, São Miguel Island, Terceira Island, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe Eingeführt: Germany