Limbarda crithmoides aka Golden Samphire

Limbarda crithmoides is golden samphire. It also has the name Inula crithmoides. This perennial lives for more than two years. It belongs to Asteraceae, the daisy family. Its native range spans northwestern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It grows in Britain and Ireland, including along their coasts. Its range reaches North Africa and western Asia too. Records list Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Syria. It grows in regions with a temperate climate.

The plant grows to about 3.3 feet (1 metre) tall. It has fleshy leaves, and people use young shoots as food. In Britain, it grows on the south and west coasts. It lives in salt marshes and on banks of shingle. It also grows on sea cliffs and among coastal rocks. These sites show that it copes with salt and exposed coasts. The accounts give no width for a full-grown plant. They give no detailed account of its stems.

It flowers from July to August. Its seeds ripen from August to September. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, flies and beetles carry pollen between the flowers. The plant can also set seed with its own pollen. The RHS page describes flower heads only for the wider genus. It does not show this species’ flower colour or shape. The species accounts give no more facts about its fruit.

Grow it in normal garden soil that drains well. It accepts sand, loam and clay. The soil can be mildly acid, neutral or mildly alkaline. Salt in the soil and sea exposure do not rule it out. Moist soil suits it. One account says to water it often. Sun is the best-supported choice for a garden site. Sources disagree on shade, though some report success in light shade. They give no hardiness rating or specific pest problems. Sow seed in a cold frame in spring or autumn. Put each seedling in its own pot. Then plant them out in summer.

Eat young leaves raw or cook them as greens. People also pickle the fleshy leaves and young shoots. These make a relish for salads and other foods. PFAF rates its food value at two out of five. It lists no known hazards. But it gives no specific view on safety for pets. That source lists no use as medicine or for other ends. Its known garden value comes from its food uses. Its ability to cope with coastal sites adds value too.