Common sea lavender by Denise Emmerson 1/2
Common sea lavender by Elizabeth Dack 2/2

Common sea lavender Limonium vulgare

Common sea lavender is one of the dominant plant species of Norfolk saltmarshes. Its beautiful mauve flowers are the defining image of a saltmarsh in summer. Common sea lavender is one of four sea lavender species occurring in Norfolk, the others being much rarer and more restricted in range and habitat. Like all saltmarsh plants, common sea lavender has to cope with daily incursions of saltwater into its habitat.

Conservation status

Common sea lavender is restricted in Norfolk to saltmarshes and the edges of tidal rivers but is found from the Wash coast in the west to Breydon Water in the east. Its principal distribution is in the saltmarshes of the north coast from Holme to Cley. Though vulnerable because it is restricted to a single habitat, common sea lavender is indeed common in the right habitat in the county and is not of immediate conservation concern. However, a significant potential threat to all coastal organisms is climate change, leading to sea level rise.

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Details

Did you know? Despite their common names, which are derived from their beautiful flowers, the sea lavenders are not lavenders at all. Their closest relative in Norfolk is thrift, which may be seen growing in several habitats along the coast.

There are many species of sea lavender, or statice as they are often known, around the world. Most are associated with salty, strongly alkaline or semi-desert environments.
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