| Description | Sea Kale (Crambe maritima) is a large salt-tolerant herbaceous perennial, a large plant with glaucous blue leaves. Many parts are edible and taste like broccoli. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (KRAM-bee) (ma-ra-TI-ma) |
| Plant Type | Perennials Hardy, Edibles Vegetables |
| Hardiness Zone | 5-8 |
| Sunlight | full, mostly sunny, some shade |
| Moisture | average. moist |
| Soil & Site | well-drained, rich, sandy to gravelly, neutral to alkaline, |
| Temperature | Reported to grow best in the cooler regions of its hardiness zone. |
| Flowers | Sprays of creamy white flowers somewhat resembling Babys Breath. Has small, fragrant white flowers borne on dense panicles (corymbose racemes) |
| Fruit | Pea-like seed pods to 1/4” wide, each with one seed. |
| Leaves | basal leaves, wavy-edged, powdery blue |
| Stems | basal stems become woody |
| Roots | deep-rooted |
| Dimensions | 2-3 by 2-3 feet (HS) |
| Propagation | seeds, root cuttings |
| Native Site | Western Europe |
| Misc Facts | The shoots, leaves, roots, florets, and green seed pods are all edible. Genus's name comes from the Greek word krambh in reference to the name of a cabbage-like plant in ancient Greece. The specific species name comes from the Latin word maritimus, which means growing by the sea in reference to the native habitat of this species. It was grown by Thomas Jefferson and was referenced many times in the book Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book. |
| Notes & Reference | #04-Herbaceous Perennial Plants (Allan Armitage), #144-Missouri Botanical Gardens website (www.missouribotanicalgarden.org), #164-Heritage Flower Farm (www.heritageflowerfarm.com), #273-Gardenia (www.gardenia.net) |
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