Sea milkwort (Glaux maritima)

At a glance

Lifecycle: Perennial (hardy)
Exposure: Full sun

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils. Dislikes shade.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed it should be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in situ in mid spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Edible uses

Young shoots - raw or pickled. Roots - cooked.

Medicinal uses

Some native North American Indians ate the boiled roots to induce sleep.

Habitat

Grassy salt marshes, crevices of rocks, the foot of cliffs near the sea and saline districts inland.

Native range

Coasts and inland saline areas in most parts of the northern temperate zone, including Britain.

Scientific synonyms Lysimachia maritima