page_title: Samphire
section_title: Uses
hierarchical_section_title: Samphire / Uses
caption_attribution_description: English: Image of fresh samphire for sale at Swansea Market fish stall
context_page_description: Samphire is a name given to a number of succulent salt-tolerant plants that tend to be associated with water bodies.
  Rock samphire, Crithmum maritimum is a coastal species with white flowers that grows in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. This is probably the species mentioned by Shakespeare in King Lear.
  Golden samphire, Limbarda crithmoides is a coastal species with yellow flowers that grows across Eurasia.
  Several species in the genus Salicornia, known as "marsh samphire" in Britain.
  Blutaparon vermiculare, Central America, southeastern North America
  Tecticornia, Australia
  Sarcocornia, cosmopolitan.
context_section_description: Marsh samphire ashes were used to make soap and glass (hence its other old English name, "glasswort") as it was a source of sodium carbonate, also known as soda ash. In the 14th century glassmakers located their workshops near regions where this plant grew, since it was so closely linked to their trade. 
  Many samphires are edible. In England the leaves were gathered early in the year and pickled or eaten in salads with oil and vinegar. 
  Marsh samphire (Salicornia bigelovii) was investigated as a potential biodiesel source that can be grown in coastal areas where conventional crops cannot be grown.
  Rock Samphire is another kind of samphire, also called Seafennel. It is mentioned by Shakespeare in King Lear:
  Half-way down Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!
  — Act IV, Scene VI, Lines 14-15
   This refers to the dangers involved in collecting rock samphire on sea cliffs.
  Also Aboriginal Australians have long used samphire as bush tucker, due to its abundance, flavour and nutritional value. It is high in Vitamin A and a good source of calcium and iron. Other Australians have recently discovered the potential of the species as a food plant and it has begun to appear on restaurant menus across the country.
  There is a very well known kind of rock samphire even in Italy along the Adriatic coast. It's named Paccasasso del Conero and this is a very typical product used in local recipes such as a mortadella and paccasasso sandwich, pasta with mussels and paccasassi, or in fresh salad.
caption: Fresh samphire from the River Loughor estuary for sale at Swansea Market
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