Rock Samphire or Sea Fennel, as it is sometimes called, grows only at sea level right on the coastline. Blossoming at the end of August it is the last herb we distill for our annual season. Being next to the sea and having all the season’s hard work on our backs, we are rewarded while picking it by taking dips during our short breaks.
The plant is succulent and has a soft but crunchy feeling, so it is the only one we pick with our bare hands. The perfume smelling flowers need just a twist on the stem below to break off easily.
Growing only on some parts of the Mediterranean basin, Rock Sampire was overlooked for is medicinal purposes and used only for culinary reasons in some areas. Being a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-wrinkle agent, its essential oil and hydrosol are becoming more and more popular.