What other names does sea lavender have? These names may surprise you

Plumbaginaceae, genus Limonium

Salt cloud grass, salt cloud ginseng, spoon-leaf grass, jisong

Sea lavender is native to Russia, Bulgaria, and the Caucasus, among other places; in China it is mainly distributed on hillsides and meadow saline soils in the Northeast, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and other areas.

The whole sea lavender plant is hairless and about 15-60 cm tall. The leaves are basal, light green or grayish green, oblong, with tips slightly blunt or acute; the lower part of the leaf gradually narrows to form a flat petiole, arranged in a rosette. Sea lavender has umbel-like or paniculate inflorescences; the calyx is funnel-shaped, with a calyx tube about 1 mm in diameter; the corolla is yellow, the petals are blue-purple, and there are filiform stigmas. The fruit is yellow-brown and obovate. The flowering period is July-November in the north and April-December in the south.

Sea lavender likes a cool climate environment and strong light. It flowers well after low-temperature treatment, with the low temperature between 10-16°C. If the plants are given low-temperature treatment during the seedling stage, later high temperatures will not affect flowering; if the seedlings are not given low-temperature treatment and are planted directly under high temperatures, flowering will be noticeably inhibited or the plants will not flower.

The flower language of sea lavender is nestling close and following forever. It is usually given as a companion flower to well-known flowers, fully matching its flower language: not competing or clamoring, taking things calmly.