Crambe maritima (Sea kale)

Sea kale is found in seashores in Europe, north Africa, and southwestern Asia, including the North Atlantic, throughout the Mediterranean, and to the Black Sea. It has been introduced to Oregon, and California, and is grown at a garden plant in parts of North America.

Leaves: Fleshy, glaucous, shallow-lobed leaves are up to 2′ (60 cm) in size. Basal leaves are ovate-oblong, with wavy edges.

Flowers: Fragrant 4-petaled white flowers form dense panicles, appearing from June to August. Individual flowers are about ½″ (1.3 cm) around.

Fruits: Roughly spherical seed pods are about ½″ (1.3 cm) around, containing a single seed.

Habitats: Native to seashores, above the high water mark, these also tolerate rich, sandy or gravelly soils, and full sun or light shade.

Edibility: Popular as a vegetable, prepared like asparagus, in England and France, but not in the United States.

6/27/2026 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (30 × 20 cm)

6/27/2026 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 17 cm)

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Brassicales	Mustard, cabbage, caper, papaya, nasturtiums, many others; most produce mustard oil
Family	Brassicaceae	Mustards, cabbages
Genus	Crambe	Borrowed from translingual crambe, from Ancient Greek κράμβη (krámbe), “cabbage”
Species	maritima	“Of the seashore”

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Range: Zones 5-9:

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