This is a distinctive, large, fleshy, perennial plant which is quite a rarity in Ireland. It is a coastal species which closely resembles a great big cabbage plant with its broad, succulent, waxy, wavy leaves. They are green-grey in colour, sometimes with a tinge of purple and are completely hairless. From May to July this plant bears large flat-topped clusters of white flowers (6-14 mm across). Although it is a large plant, it only reaches about 70 cm in height being wider than tall. In August and September, the fruits are formed. They are round pods, each containing one – occasionally two - seeds. It grows mainly on seaside shingle and sandy beaches above the high tide line. It is a native plant and belongs to the Brassicaceae family.
I first saw this plant and photographed it in August, 2011 after Sam Connolly at http://www.gardenofireland.com/ had kindly told me where I might find it. It was growing in shingle along the east coast, north of Wicklow town. I am very grateful to Sam for his help in locating this rare species.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
