As I began this newsletter, Hurricane Ike was barreling toward the Texas coast. Early this morning, Ike made landfall at Galveston. The Herb Cottage is about 70 miles from the coast, and west of the storm, so we might not even get any rain. I spent the last 3 days putting plants into the greenhouse so they wouldn't be damaged by the winds, which picked up yesterday, and have been blowing all night.
We are deperate for rain here, and I know people in the path of the hurricane will suffer damage and loss, so it seems a little selfish to wish for only rain out of such a large storm. But, that doesn't lessen the need for rain here. And, the current winds are very drying. Ah well... such is the life of a plant person! As my husband says, "I'm nevvvver happy". Rain will come one day and when it does, I'll welcome it.
The hurricane led me to thinking about salt-tolerant herbs. Which herbs do well along coastal areas that may get salt spray from storms and high tides? Soils along the coastal regions are salty, too, which exacerbates the issue of how salt affects plants, especially herbs.
Salt buildup on plant parts above ground can limit the ability of the plant's cells to function properly. If the stomata, or pores, of the leaf and stem parts become clogged with salt buildup, proper photosynthesis cannot take place. Nor can the plant rid itself of excess oxygen, which is essential for proper plant growth.
A little research gave me the following list of herbs which seem to be salt tolerant for in-ground cultivation.
Bayberry- (Myrica pensylvanica) (Zone 5-9)
Chastetree- (Vitex agnus-castus) (Z7-10)
Eucalyptus- (Eucalyptus spp.) (Z9-10)
Lemon Grass- ( Cymbopogon citratus)
Mint- (Mentha spp) (Z4-7 to 9-11) (Z 8-10)
Rosemary- (Rosmarinus officinalis) (Z8-10)
St. John's Wort- (Hypericum perforatum) (Z4-8)
Vetiver- (Vetiveria zizanioides) (Z8-10)
Wormwood- (Artemisia absinthium)(Z3-9)
Wormwood, Powis Castle- (A.abs.XA.arborescens) (Z6-9)
Wormwood, Silver Mound- (A. schmidtiana 'nana') (Z5-8)
Yarrow- (Achillea sp.) (Z2-7 to 8-10)
Yucca- (Yucca filamentosa)
The above list also contains hardy herbs that would be somewhat tolerant to salt used to clear snow and ice in northern areas. St. John's Wort, Wormwood and Bayberry would be good choices for cold climates.
For the whole article from Richters Herbs, Richers Herbs.
Of course, growing herbs in containers would give you a lot more choices for herbs if you live by the seaside. Really any herb that is hardy to your area would do fine in a container, even by the sea. Remember, though, even if the container isn't getting salt water on it, the air itself contains salt, so it would be a good idea to give your outdoor container herbs a nice shower of fresh water every so often to keep their leaves and stems from getting clogged by salt buildup.
One plant on the list may not be too familiar to many of you, and that plant is Vetiver. I acquainted myself with this plant some years ago. It has quite an amazing story.
Vetiver, Vetiveria zizanioides, a member of the same part of the grass family as maize, sorghum, sugar cane and lemongrass, is an ancient plant that has grown around the world to great benefit for centuries. Like many plants, however, vetiver has fallen out of fashion and become forgotten or unknown by many people.
A native of India, Vetiveria zizanioides has had a long history. The name comes from "vetiver," a Tamil word meaning "root that is dug up." The zizanioides was given by Linnaeus in 1771 and means "by the riverside." As you would guess, the native habitat of this grass is in low, damp sites such as swamps and bogs. In spite of that, the grass is now being used on dry hillsides to control erosion.
Vetiver is a clumping type grass, non-invasive. The roots are very deep, so it's best to decide carefully where to plant it because it is very hard to dig up. It can be grown in a container as well, for a lovely effect.
In 1989 Fort Polk in Louisiana was having a problem with erosion. Three scenic streams came together on the base, but tanks and other military equipment was ripping up the land and causing soil and silt to fill up the natural waterways. Mike Materne, the local U.S. Soil Conservation Service agent, brought in some vetiver plants and planted them in the bare slopes above the dams that held runoff water.
In spite of the very acidic, rocky soil that contained virtually no fertility, the slips of grass began to grow. In eight weeks, some were almost 2 meters tall and in 10 weeks they had grown together into hedges. Sediment began to build up behind the hedges and the water that went down the streams into the catch ponds became clear.
It soon became clear that vetiver was acting as much more than an erosion trap: it was a "nurse plant" that was protecting other species and thereby giving these devastated watersheds a chance to heal themselves. Native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, trees and vines came crowding in behind the hedges and grew to re-vegetate the site.
Leaves of the plant are odorless, however the roots have an exquisite and long lasting scent, similar to the aroma of sandalwood. An open bowl of dried vetiver root can give off a most pleasing aroma for a very long time.The roots of the plant have been used for centuries as a source of essential oil that makes a wonderful perfume. It is also used for scenting soaps, and it is used in some countries as a flavoring in canned asparagus and sherbets.
It is the root of the plant that makes it valuable - whether for perfume or erosion control. Vetiver produces a massive root system that grows straight down rather than out from the plant. It creates a sort of curtain beneath the soil, trapping sediment and slowing down the movement of water. Because the grass grows down instead of outward, it does not become invasive. The plants never form seeds, in fact they rarely flower, and if they do, the seed is sterile, another advantage in keeping it under control.
The above-ground plant looks much like pampas grass or lemon grass. It is a big, coarse clumping grass that can grow to be very tall. It provides a considerable amount of biomass that can be used for mulching or composting. In many areas of the world, the grass is used for thatching roofs.
