Limonium vulgare
common sea-lavender
Overview
Limonium vulgare is a perennial herb growing 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) tall, forming a basal rosette of leathery, spoon-shaped leaves above a woody rootstock. The leaves are 1.5-5 inches (4-12 cm) long, dark green, with a single main vein and a long stalk. Branched, wiry flowering stems rise above the foliage in summer, carrying dense, one-sided sprays of small funnel-shaped flowers. Each flower is about 0.3 inch (8 mm) across, with a violet-blue corolla and a papery pale calyx that persists after the petals fade. Flowering occurs from July to September. The dried flower stems and papery calyces hold their shape and colour into autumn. The plant grows from a deep taproot that anchors it in tidal mud and tolerates regular saltwater flooding. It forms spreading colonies across the middle and upper levels of salt marshes. Foliage dies back in winter, with new rosettes emerging in spring.
Native Range
Native to the coasts of western and southern Europe and North Africa, from the British Isles and the Baltic south to the Mediterranean. Grows on coastal salt marshes and muddy tidal flats, in the middle to upper marsh zones that flood with each spring tide.Suggested Uses
Grown in coastal and gravel gardens and in saline or sharply drained soils where its salt tolerance suits seaside conditions. The papery flower sprays are cut and dried for everlasting arrangements. Spaced 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) apart, it forms low colonies but is slow to fill in.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread8" - 1'
Bloom Information
Flowers from July to September, with peak bloom in late July and August. The violet-blue corollas are short-lived, but the papery calyces persist on the stems into autumn. Flowering is heaviest in open, sunny marsh sites. Salt-stressed plants may flower more sparsely.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight