Limonium gmelinii Seeds | Tartaricum
LATIN NAME: Limonium gmelinii
COMMON NAME: Statice, Sea Lavender
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Statice (Limonium gmelinii) is an upright, perennial in the leadwort family, native to meadows and salt marshes of the temperate eurasia, while it has been cultivated in gardens and for cut flowers. Bees and other pollinators visit the flowers freely through the season. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Limonium gmelinii sits in the leadwort family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Statice has a real and distinguished place in research. The upshot for anyone sowing it is reassurance — cultivated stock of this plant has a long, well-documented track record.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Statice has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Statice is an upright, perennial herb of meadows and salt marshes, bearing broad, green, basal leaves and clusters of small, papery, purple or white flowers in the summer. Its flowers are a nectar source for bees and other pollinators, and its tall, upright habit gives a fine presence in garden and meadow, while its long-lasting, papery flowers are a popular cut flower and a dried flower. To raise statice, sow seeds on surface of pots of sandy, open soil in a sunny, cool place, keep them gently watered, and grow little plants on in the sun. Routine care after establishment is refreshingly light.
Sea lavenders are salt-marsh everlastings for drying; a Chinese relative’s flowers, a folk remedy for bleeding, reflect the genus’s tannin content.
Growing from Seed
Starting Statice from seed is simple and satisfying. Use a loose, well-drained seed compost, sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly, and keep everything evenly moist in bright light. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Statice repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Statice often pair it with these related subjects: