SafePlants

Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima) and Tall Thrift (Armeria maritima subsp. elongata)

Considerations for Pets and Children

• The foliage is described as grass-like, which might attract the attention of pets, particularly cats, who enjoy chewing on grass.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Armeria maritima
• Subspecies: Armeria maritima subsp. elongata
• Common Names: Sea Thrift, Tall Thrift, Sand-Grasnelke (German), Zawci&#261g pospolity, zawci&#261g nadmorski (Polish)
• Family: Plumbaginaceae
• Synonyms: Statice armeria elongata, Armeria elongata, Armeria maritima var. elongata, Statice armeria
• Note: Some sources list Statice armeria elongata as a synonym, while others treat it as a separate scientific name.

Distribution and Habitat

• Armeria maritima occurs all around the British Isles and Ireland.
• Armeria maritima subsp. elongata is native to certain areas, including Lincolnshire. However, it is confined to specific areas and rarer than other subspecies.
• It grows predominantly on dunes of the sea coasts and in salt marshes.
• Historically, it was found in at least twelve localities in Lincolnshire in the 1950s, but now only two populations are extant.

Conservation Status

• Armeria maritima ssp. intermedia and ssp. elongata are critically endangered in some regions.
• Ssp. sibirica is an endangered species.
• All the thrift subspecies are protected in Finland.
• The IUCN category for Armeria maritima ssp. elongata is Vulnerable.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Armeria maritima subsp. elongata is a perennial herb.
• It can grow to an impressive 20 inches (approximately 50 cm) tall and wide.
• Flower spikes can be over 6 inches (approximately 15 cm) tall.
• Foliage forms a grass-like clump.
• The flowers are pink and form spherical inflorescences at the tips of thin stems.
• Subspecies *elongata* is generally more clump- or mat-forming, with ciliate leaves 5-15cm long.

Ecological Role

• Some populations of Armeria maritima ssp. elongata are able to tolerate heavy metal concentrations in soil.

Quirky Facts

• The text mentions that in the 1950s, subsp. *elongata* was known from at least twelve localities in Lincolnshire, but now only two populations are still extant, highlighting a significant decline in its population.

Further Information

• Taxonomic Serial No.: 896901 is associated with Armeria maritima ssp. elongata.
• Information is available from the British Database of World Flora.
• Specimen NOTATYPE M-0173720 / 559965 / 238113 of *Armeria maritima* ssp. *elongata* (Hoffm.) Bonnier may provide further information.