Seasonal Wild Flowers

Common Sea-lavender

Limonium vulgare

Plumbaginaceae

July to September

It is found around much of the coast, but is patchy or

absent from the Northeast, the far Southeast and the

far Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Common Sea-lavender

Common Sea-lavender grows on saltmarshes and

adjacent rocks and sea walls.

It is a native, aromatic, patch-forming, perennial herb

growing up to 30cm.

The purple to blue flowers are small (8mm) in leafless

tufts.

They are 5-merous with the anthers appearing

before the styles and stigmas.

They are rich in nectar and are pollinated by bees

and beetles.

Leaves are fleshy and oval to lanceolate.

Common Sea-lavender by the

Lune estuary

Common Sea-lavender on a sea wall

Common Sea-lavender patch

Flowers showing stamens

Flowers showing stigmas

Common Sea-lavender leaves

Nectar-seeking bumble bee