Samphire

Rock samphire is an indigenous umbellifer, which can be found along the sea. Like all plants under such conditions, rock samphire has short thick leaves to lose as little water as possible through evaporation. Rock samphire is very rare in the Netherlands and Belgium, but is common on rocky coasts in Southern Europe. The plant is not resistant to severe frost, so some protection is recommended. Rock samphire has a distinct taste with the striking typical saltiness of many sea vegetables. You use the young leaves, fresh and raw; possibly marinated in vinegar, lemon, olive oil and salt. The young flower buds, flowers and seed pods are edible, and stems and leaves can be cooked like asparagus.
For the specialist, a botanical description: This is the only species in the genus Crithmum. The botanical name Crithmum comes from the Ancient Greek 'krithe' which means barley because of the resemblance of the fruit to a barley grain. The plant grows 20-50 cm high and the stem is woody at the base. The roots are also woody. The basal leaves are bipinnate. The leaflets of the first order are petiolate and those of the second order are fleshy, narrowed at the base and with an entire margin. The leaves, up to 7 cm long, are aromatic. Rock samphire flowers from July to October with compound umbels, which consist of eight to thirty-six rays with five to ten involucral bracts and bracteoles.
The flowers are yellowish-green or white. The 5-6 mm long, olive-green to purple fruit is a two-part schizocarp and has slightly protruding ribs. The mericarps are spongy, broadly triangular in cross-section and contain a single seed. The fruits are dispersed by water.

Names:
Latin: Crithmum maritimum
Dutch: Zeevenkel
English: Rock Samphir