Plant Details

Crambe maritima

Sea Kale

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Crambe maritima.

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Common names

24 names · 19 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (18)
Dutch
French
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 海滨两节荠[2]
Czech
  • katrán přímořský[2]
Danish
  • Strandkål[2]
Estonian
  • merikapsas[2]
Finnish
  • euroopanmerikaali[2]
  • merikaali[2]
German
  • Echter Meerkohl[2]
  • Meerkohl[1]
Hungarian
  • tengerparti tátorján[2]
Japanese
Lithuanian
  • Pajūrinė balža[2]
Norwegian
  • strandkål[2]
Polish
  • Modrak morski[2]
Romanian
  • Varză de mare[2]
Russian
  • Катран приморский[2]
Slovak
  • katran prímorský[2]
Swedish
  • strandkål[2]
Ukrainian
  • Катран морський[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Crambe maritima L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Meerkohl (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 147110; taxon Z4GL.
  • Sea-kale (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 147111; taxon Z4GL.
[2] Crambe maritima — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • sea kale — results[0].names[0]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • merikaali — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Echter Meerkohl — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • seakale — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • katrán přímořský — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Strandkål — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Chou marin — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Chourbe — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • merikapsas — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Zeekool — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • strandkål — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Катран приморский — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • euroopanmerikaali — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • strandkål — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • ハマナ — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Modrak morski — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Катран морський — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Pajūrinė balža — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Varză de mare — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • 海滨两节荠 — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • tengerparti tátorján — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • katran prímorský — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.

General information

Scientific name: Crambe maritima
Accepted name (Kew): Crambe maritima L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Brassicaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Crambe (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Sea Kale
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Vegetable
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.60 m
Spread: 0.60 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers, Root
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Bee forage, Ground cover

Description

Young leaves of this plant, which can be eaten both raw and cooked, have a pleasant, almost nutty flavor. They are well-suited for mixed salads and are very tasty as cooked vegetables. Note that older leaves can become bitter and less pleasant. The young shoots are also edible, both raw and cooked. These are available in the spring and have a delicate nutty flavor with a crunchy texture. Blanching the shoots is often recommended, and they can be prepared like asparagus. When cooked, they retain their crunchiness and have an appealing flavor that resembles hazelnuts, with a slight bitterness. The root of this plant can be boiled and is rich in starch and sugars. The young flower buds can be eaten both raw and cooked. These buds are harvested when they are about 10-15 cm long and before the flowers open. They can serve as a type of sprouting broccoli.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/08
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1360028; name ID 2741235; Crambe L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1360107; name ID 2741304; Crambe maritima L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Crambe maritima

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 5395603, ID Z4GL: Crambe maritima L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .