Seakale
Crambe maritima

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A cabbage family herb. It is a perennial plant up to 75 cm high. It spreads and forms mounds. The stems are thick. It has grey-green wavy edged leaves. The leaves can be up to 30 cm long. They are like cabbage leaves and arranged in a ring at the base. A robust flowering stalk comes from the centre of the leaves. The flowers are white and in clusters. These can be 0.6 m across.

There are about 20 Crambe species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in coastal areas. It grows on shingle beaches in Britain. Hobart Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, East Africa, Estonia, Europe, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Netherlands, North America, Norway, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, USA

How it is used for food

The rhubarb like leaf stalks are eaten blanched. They are boiled and eaten like asparagus. The leaves can be boiled, minced, seasoned with garlic and eaten as a spinach. The leaves are used in soups.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. The leaves are also foraged and eaten in restaurants in Sweden.

Edible parts

Stems, leaves, vegetable, fruit

How it is grown

The plants can be grown from seed. They can also be grown by root cuttings. In early spring the plants are covered with terracotta pots to force them and make the leaves white. This can also be done using balck plastic of covering with sand. The leaves and flowering stalks are harvested before they unfold.

Its other names

Local names

Chou marin, Meerkohl, Merekapstad, Morsko zelje, Strandkal

Synonyms

Crambe pontica Steven;