The Sea Lavenders, Sealavenders or Statices are the genus Limonium of flowering plants, some members of which were formerly classified in a genus named Statice. They are also sometimes known as Marsh Rosemary. They are members of the plumbago or leadwort family, Plumbaginaceae, and despite their common names, are not related to the lavenders or to rosemary.

Sealavenders normally grow as perennial plants, growing from a rhizome; some are woody. Many species flourish in saline soils, and are therefore common near coasts and in saltmarshes. In many cases the flowers grow in spike-like clusters.

Members of the genus are found on most continents, but they are most likely to occur in warm temperate or coastal areas. In North America they occur across the southern United States, and all the coastal states of the US except Washington.

Several species are popular garden flowers; they are generally known to gardeners as statices. They are grown both for their flowers, and for the appearance of the calyces, which remain on the plant after the true flowers have fallen, and are known as "everlasting flowers".

Species of sealavender

There are around 150 species in the genus. The following list includes all those listed by ITIS (plus additional species), and is therefore is likely to represent the species most commonly found in North America. Species not given a common name here are generally referred to simply as "Sea Lavender", "Statice" or "Marsh Rosemary".

• Tree Limonium, Limonium arborescens
• California Sealavender, Limonium californicum
• Carolina Sealavender, Limonium carolinianum
• Limonium dodartii
• Natal Statice, Limonium dregeanum
• Sea Lavender, German Statice, Limonium latifolium
• Statice, Limonium leptostachyum
• Transpecos Sealavender, Limonium limbatum
• Limonium minuatum
• Limonium nashii
• Limonium ornatum
• Saltmarsh Sealavender, Limonium otolepis
• Perez's Sealavender , Limonium perezii
• Kidneyleaf Sealavender, Limonium reniforme
• Wavyleaf Sealavender , Limonium sinuatum
• German Statice, Limonium tataricum
• Autumn Statice or Square-stem Statice, Limonium tetragonum
• Limonium thouinii
• Mediterranean Sealavender, Limonium vulgare

External links

• Jepson Manual treatment of the genus