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Seaside brookweed

Samolus valerandi

Also called Brookweed, Thin Leaf Brookweed, Water Pimpernel, Worldwise

Seaside brookweed
Photo: Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0

Seaside brookweed is a small semi-aquatic perennial in the primrose family that grows in wet ground or shallow water and bears small white flowers from spring to fall. Keep its roots consistently moist or wet, and it will do well in a pond margin or bog garden.

Family
Primulaceae (Primul family)
Grows as
Aquatic
Light
Full sun
Water
Keep the soil constantly moist or wet, or grow it in shallow water.
Soil
Sandy, loamy or clay soil that is neutral to alkaline.
How easy
Easy
Native range
Temp. & Subtrop. Old World to Trop. Mts.
Climate
temperate

About

Samolus valerandi is a species of semi-aquatic flowering plant in the primrose family, Primulaceae. Common names include seaside brookweed, brookweed, thin-leaf brookweed, water cabbage and water rose.

How to grow it

The plant can be grown in ponds, bog gardens, and damp areas in the garden. S. valerandi prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy), and heavy (clay) soils, preferably neutral or basic (alkaline) soils. It can tolerate both shade and a bright, sunny position. It requires moist or wet soil and can even grow in water. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure and is self-fertile. S. valerandi is sometimes grown in aquariums, although they seem to last only a limited time when grown fully submersed.

Where it grows

Samolus valerandi is widely distributed across western and Mediterranean Europe, north Africa, Asia and Australia, Central and South America including Cuba, and Japan.

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Samolus valerandi by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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