Sea Holly, Seaside eryngo
Eryngium maritimum
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
What it is like
Eryngium maritimum is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Height (m): 0.5
Where it is found
Sea shores, preferring sand and shingle whilst avoiding acid soils.
European coasts, including Britain, from Scandanavia to the Mediterraneanand Baltic, and Black Sea
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Young shoots - cooked. They are normally blanched by excluding light from the growing plant, and are then used as an asparagus substitute. They are said to be palatable and nourishing. Root - cooked. Used as a vegetable or candied and used as a sweetmeat. Palatable and nutritious, it is slightly sweet and smells of carrots. The boiled or roasted roots are said to resemble parsnips or chestnuts in flavour.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 3
Sea holly roots were collected on a large scale in the 17th and 18th centuries in England and were candied then used as restorative, quasi-aphrodisiac lozenges. The plant is still used in modern herbalism where it is valued especially for its diuretic action. The root is to be aphrodisiac, aromatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant and tonic. The root promotes free expectoration and is very useful in the treatment of debility attendant on coughs of chronic standing in the advanced stages of pulmonary consumption. It is used in the treatment of cystitis, urethritis, as a means to alleviate kidney stones (it is unlikely that it dissolves the stones, but it probably helps to retard their formation), and to treat enlargement or inflammation of the prostate gland. Drunk freely, it is used to treat diseases of the liver and kidneys. Used externally as a poultice, the dried powdered root aids tissue regeneration. The root should be harvested in the autumn from plants that are at least 2 years old.
Aphrodisiac: Increases the sexual appetite.
Aromatic: Having an agreeable odour and stimulant qualities.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating: 2
The extensive root system helps to bind sand on the sea shore.
Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Requires a deep well-drained soil and a sunny position. Prefers a light sandy saline soil but tolerates most soil types including lime and poor gravels. Plants are best grown in a hot dry position. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants are hardy to about -15°c. Sea holly has very long roots that penetrate deeply in the soil and are often several feet long. These roots are sweetly scented. The plant should be placed in its final position whilst small since it resents root disturbance. Although a sea-shore plant, it is amenable to garden cultivation. A good bee plant. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame. The seed can also be sown in spring. Germination can be very slow, although another report says that the seed usually germinates in 5 - 90 days at 20°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring or autumn. Take care since the plant resents root disturbance. Root cuttings in autumn or winter.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist