Practical
Plants

Inula crithmoides

Golden Samphire

a perennial member of the Inula genus in the family Compositae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Inula
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves - raw or cooked[9][2][5]. They are occasionally used as a potherb[6]. The fleshy leaves and young shoots are pickled and used as a relish in salads etc[7][10][3][6]. They are sometimes used as an adulterant of the true samphire, Crithmum maritimum[6].

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
Coasts of Europe, including Britain, and western Asia.
Habitat
Salt marshes, shingle banks and maritime cliffs and rocks on the south and west coasts of Britain[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring or autumn 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 is worthwhile trying a sowing in situ in the spring or the autumn.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[1]. One report says that the plant dislikes shade whilst another says that it succeeds in a shady border[8]. The plant needs to be watered frequently and given some salt occasionally[8].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  8. Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  9. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  10. Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2

    ↩

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