Astydamia latifolia
“Canary Samphire”
“Lettuce of the Sea”

flower pic: Tigerente foliage pic: Enrique Núñez

What a neat oddity from the Canary Islands! Ruffly, succulent bright-green leaves & fun yellow umbelliferous flowers make for a great addition to a well-drained, full sun garden. Growing about 2.5’ wide & 2’ tall with 3” flower clusters, totally fine with poor soil & is often found growing out of porous rocks near the coast. It also forms a caudiciform (swollen base) for you caudi-fans. Bloom in early Spring & has very aromatic leaves. The leaves are actually edible with slightly bitter or salty taste, great for salads or soups. Listed as medicinally useful as a diuretic. Best with low water in Winter.

Kelly Kilpatrick
Horticulturalist