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Common Name: Golden Samphire

General Information

Inula crithmoides is a perennial plant that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Coasts of Europe, including Britain, and western Asia.

Habitat

Salt marshes, shingle banks and maritime cliffs and rocks on the south and west coasts of Britain[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[]. One report says that the plant dislikes shade whilst another says that it succeeds in a shady border[].
The plant needs to be watered frequently and given some salt occasionally[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked[, , ]. They are occasionally used as a potherb[].
The fleshy leaves and young shoots are pickled and used as a relish in salads etc[, , , ]. They are sometimes used as an adulterant of the true samphire, Crithmum maritimum[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
If you have sufficient seed, it is worthwhile trying a sowing in situ in the spring or the autumn.