Sea lavender
size:
plant: 10 to 50 centimeters
flower: 0.6 to 0.8 centimeter
color:
flower: blue-purple
blossoms:
July through October
reproduction:
suckers
lifespan:
perennial
- Dut: Lamsoor, zwinneblomme, Zeeuwse heide
- Lat: Limonium vulgare
- Eng: Sea Lavender
- Fren: Limonium vulgaire; Statice vulgaire
- Ger: Strandflieder, Widerstoss
- Dan: Hindebæger
print
- Sea lavender, foto fitis, sytske dijksen
Sea lavender
Sea lavender grows on sandy marshes. At the end of July and the beginning of August, the marshes turn purple and lilac from the flowering sea lavender and pink from the thrift. Although the buds extend from several side stems along the main stem, they are so dense, the total flower head looks like an umbel. Sea lavender is not edible. Flowers from cultivated sea lavender plants are popular as dried flowers.
On Texel
The nature area Slufter is known for its flowering sea lavender. Every August, the southern plain turns purple from this plant. However, every year it is less. In 2006, there was half as much surface area covered with sea lavender than in 1992!
- Distribution and habitat
- Sea lavender, foto fitis, sytske dijksen
You find sea lavender on salt marshes and along the dikes of all of the Wadden Islands and in the delta region, as long as the soil is not too muddy. It also grows scattered along the coasts of Groningen, Friesland and North Holland. Furthermore, sea lavender grows along the southern and western European coasts. The plant is found as far north as Northern England and the Swedish west coast.
- Surviving salty conditions
- Sea lavender, foto fitis, sytske dijksen
Sea lavender has salt glands on the underside of the leaf, with which excess salt is excreted. There are around 600 of these glands per square centimeter! It's easy to see the salt crystals on a sunny day.
- What's in a name...
- Sea lavender, foto fitis, sytske dijksen
Sometimes, people are confused between local names and official names. In Zeeland, young sea aster leaves are sold as a vegetable under the name 'lamsoor' (sea lavender). However whether young or old, the leaves are definitely not edible for people. The plant is also called 'Zeeuw's heather'. Because sea lavender often blossoms massively, it is easy to imagine a field of heather during the flowering period. Or maybe you see fields of lavender, such as found in southern France.
See also
Info
Copyright Ecomare
