# Rock Sea-lavender (*Limonium binervosum*)

Rock Sea-lavender is a pretty flower that grows in coastal areas. Its bright purple blooms look like tiny clouds and can be found near the sea, adding color to the sandy shores.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![Rock Sea-lavender](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Limonium_binervosum2.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Kurt Stüber \[1\], CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Limonium_binervosum2.jpg)

## Appearance

The Rock Sea-lavender has clusters of tiny, papery, purple-blue flowers that grow on stiff, branching stems. Its leathery, spoon-shaped leaves form a rosette close to the ground, adapting to harsh coastal environments.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Plumbaginaceae
- **Genus:** Limonium

## Interesting facts

- Dried Rock Sea-lavender flowers are sometimes used by people to make long-lasting decorations!
- Its name 'Limonium' means 'meadow' in Greek, even though it loves rocky shores!
- Some parts of its root system can live for many years, even decades, in the wild!
- The papery flowers often feel dry to the touch, almost like they are made of thin paper!

## Special abilities

- **Salt Survivor:** Rock Sea-lavender can grow in salty soil because it has special glands to remove excess salt, helping it thrive where other plants cannot.
- **Rock Gripper:** Rock Sea-lavender has tough, deep roots that help it anchor firmly into rocky crevices and coastal cliffs, protecting itself from strong winds.
- **Drought Master:** Rock Sea-lavender has thick, waxy leaves that help it store water and reduce evaporation, allowing it to survive dry coastal conditions.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-40 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early autumn (July-September)
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Important pollinator of its flowers.
- **Pollinates:** [Painted Lady](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-lady) (*Vanessa cardui*) — Visits flowers for sweet nectar.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't pick flowers in nature to help them grow.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Rock Sea-lavender?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Rock Sea-lavender?

10-40 cm

### How wide does Rock Sea-lavender spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Rock Sea-lavender?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Rock Sea-lavender bloom?

Summer to early autumn (July-September)

### Is Rock Sea-lavender edible?

No

### Is Rock Sea-lavender toxic?

None

### What is Rock Sea-lavender's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Rock Sea-lavender: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rock-sea-lavender)