Pollinator plant

Sea Kale

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[3]
Czech
  • katrán přímořský[3]
Danish
  • Strandkål[3]
Estonian
  • merikapsas[3]
Finnish
  • euroopanmerikaali[3]
  • merikaali[3]
German
Hungarian
  • tengerparti tátorján[3]
Japanese
Lithuanian
  • Pajūrinė balža[3]
Norwegian
  • strandkål[3]
Polish
  • Modrak morski[3]
Romanian
  • Varză de mare[3]
Russian
  • Катран приморский[3]
Slovak
  • katran prímorský[3]
Swedish
  • strandkål[3]
Ukrainian
  • Катран морський[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

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] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • sea kale — Page 4, column 2, row top 562 pt; common-name cell after Crambe maritima.; Crambe maritima.
[2] Crambe maritima — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • sea kale — results[0].names[0]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Zeekool — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Chou marin — results[0].names[7]; 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.
  • Chourbe — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
[3] 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.
  • Zeekool — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • Chou marin — results[0].names[7]; 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.
  • Chourbe — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 55399; Crambe maritima.
  • merikaali — results[0].names[2]; 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.
  • merikapsas — results[0].names[9]; 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.
[4] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Crambe maritima ↗

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.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Crambe maritima is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Brassicaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Crambe maritima in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Herbaceous, Vegetable
Size
Small
Dimensions
0.60 m high × 0.60 m wide
Lifecycle
Perennial

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
4-8
Moisture
Well-drained, Moist
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Partial shade, Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Leaves, Flowers, Root
Functions
Pollinator plant, Ground cover
Edibility
4 out of 5
Medicinal value
0 out of 5

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.

Sources and references

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

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Crambe maritima — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5395603; ID Z4GL; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5395603; ID Z4GL; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 4, column 2, entry Crambe maritima (top 562 pt)

    Source checked on .