Buffeted by desiccating winds, doused in salt spray, buried by shifting shingle and blasted by abrasive sand: our seaside wildflowers are a tough bunch. You have to admire their sheer tenacity, surviving on the edges of our islands in habitats that are as close to being truly wild as it is possible to find in Britain.
They include some of the best-loved species in the flora of our maritime nation. Part of their attraction must lie in the nostalgic association between plant and place, recalling summer-holiday trips to sparkling coasts fringed with vibrant flowers.
Look closely at seaside wild plants and it becomes apparent that many share characteristics that allow them to survive in such extreme, unstable environments. Some have adaptations for absorbing and conserving fresh water, such as unusually deep roots and thick, fleshy leaves that retain moisture. Often, a thick, waxy leaf cuticle minimises water loss and gives foliage an attractive blue-grey, glaucous sheen.
Botanists categorise the extreme coastal specialists as halophytes – species that evolved to cope with salt concentrations that kill most plants. Sea lavender excretes salt from glands to the leaf surface, wheresolution in compartments within its succulent leaves.
