Samphire

Description:

Also known as rock samphire or sea fennel, Samphire is a hardy herbaceous halophile flowering plant. Leaves are fleshy and elongated, and flowers borne in umbel, whitish to pale-green-yellowish.

Habitat:

Very common Mediterranean plant growing directly from splits and holes in rocks and walls. Samphire is a halophyte, and often grows from cliffs close to the sea. Here, grows on a not-so-popular (meaning not crowded) hotel beach in Dubrovnik.

Notes:

Samphire is edible and appreciated plant, and can be used fresh (leaves in a salad) or pickled (leaves, stems and seed pods) in salted and spiced vinegar. Pickled product is appreciated but difficult to find; I had one some years ago, and the taste was excellent... According to Croatian seafaring history; Samphire was taken with crew for long voyages on sea, as a measure against scurvy. Thanks EmilieChich for help in IDing this plant.