Rock Samphire, Samphire

Upon tasting pickled "samphire" while visiting the UK, I was hooked. It reminded me a bit of the seaweed salads typical of sushi restaura...Read Morents. What I since discovered on a subsequent visit however, is that much (if not most) of what is sold as "samphire" in vegetable commerce is not Crithmum maritimum (Rock Samphire), but rather the annual herb, Salicornia europaea (Marsh Samphire or Common Glasswort). It is clear now that what I experienced in the UK was indeed the latter plant.

C. maritimum seeds given a 60 day cold stratification germinated 15 days after sewing in a consistently moist medium consisting of sand and peat blend, and kept indoors under grow lights. Seedlings are relatively slow growing, but hardy. Seedlings take transplanting without distress. Seedlings transplanted into a large container of a 1:1 mix of compost and sand have fared well through much of a hot, dry (85F+/30C+) summer, receiving both direct morning and late afternoon sun, with regular watering. Similarly, the plants have withstood cold winter nights of 13F (-11C) without frost damage.

Also known as 'Sea Fennel'.
Quoted from Jekka's Complete Herb Book:
"The leaves can be eaten fresh or cooked. Prior to coo...Read Moreking, remove any leaves that have begun to turn slimy and any hard parts of the stalk. The leaves have an aromatic salty flavor which combines well in salads or cooked in butter. They can also be used to make sauces and aromatic pickles."

Also: "This herb is very high in vitamin C; it also has a digestive and purgative properties. It is under research for treating obesity and is in a number of herbal products. "

A curious member of the Carrot family, native to Northern Europe, with the normal umbrella-shaped heads of flowers, but swollen, succulen...Read Moret aromatic leaves. These leaves can be made into a pickle or sauce, uses that were formerly commonplace but are now rarely tried. Rock Samphire commonly inhabits inaccessible ledges of sea-cliffs and its collection was an exceedingly hazardous and often lethal trade. Eating the plant was believed to aid digestion and have beneficial effects on the kidneys and bladder. Rock Samphire was sometimes grown as a vegetable on well-drained soils, especially in England and France. The succulent leaves, with a thick, translucent coat, are an adaption to drought, for even though the plant may be drenched by spray from a rough sea, the salt in the water tends to dry out an unprotected leaf and makes it difficult for roots to take up usable water.