#seakale

Plant of the Day

Saturday 22 July 2023

On the seashore outside Lerwick, Shetland, the wild Crambe maritima (sea kale, sea cabbage, sea colewort) was in full flower. This coastal tolerant herbaceous perennial forms a clump of large, wavy blue-green leaves, surrounded by dense racemes of small white honey-scented flowers.

Plant of the Day

Friday 26 March 2021

The new leaves of the large herbaceous perennial Crambe maritima (sea kale, sea cabbage,sea colewort) are just starting to emerge. The leaves will reach up to 75cm, forming a clump of large, wavy blue-green leaves with clouds of small white flowers in early summer. The fibres from last year’s petioles (leaf stalks) appear to have created their own woven textile on the soil surface.

Plant of the Day

Friday 7 June 2019

In the garden of Myddelton House, Enfield, London, two giant members of the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) were flowering, Crambe cordifolia (flowering sea kale, heart-leaved colewort) in the ornamental garden near the house and Crambe maritima (sea kale, sea colewort) in the productive garden. These herbaceous perennial members of the cabbage family grow wild along the coasts of Europe, from the North Atlantic to the Black Sea. They thrive in deep, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun but need shelter from strong winds.

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 6 June 2018

Outside the front door to Myddelton House, Enfield, near London, were the billowing flowers of Crambe cordifolia (flowering sea kale, heart-leaved colewort, greater sea kale). This giant of herbaceous perennials grows up to 1.8m in height, with these branched sprays small, scented white flowers. The plant thrives in deep, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun but will tolerate poorer soils. The large flower stems do best with shelter from strong winds. Edward Augustus Bowles was a self-taught gardeners, artists and expert botanist who lived in Myddelton House from 1865 to 1954 and spent much time developing the gardens which have been lovingly restored.