England’s coastlines hold a wild mix of salt-tough blooms, each with its own charm and colour. With salty breezes, sandy soils, and shifting dunes, these flowers have adapted to one of the most extreme habitats. They’re not just pretty faces; many support wildlife and protect dunes from erosion.
Walk any English beach in spring or summer, and you’ll likely see some of the flowers below. Whether you’re a keen walker, a gardener, or just love being by the sea, use this guide to spot and care for these special blooms.
How to Protect England’s Coastal Flowers
- Keep dogs away from coastal plants, as some are toxic and grow near cliffs. Read more on keeping dogs safe at the seaside.
- Avoid dropping litter, as rubbish can smother young plants.
- Don’t pick wildflowers (or driftwood) as they form important ecosystems for wildlife. Also don’t remove sand or pebbles from beaches (doing so can cause coastal erosion).
- Coastal plants keep sand in place, so avoid walking on sand dunes (especially with dogs). This also prevents disturbing disturbing nesting birds, and seals hiding their pups).
- Volunteer with local groups that support coastal habitats and participate in volunteer beach cleans.
Sea Holly
Sea holly is common on the Wirral coast, with spiky blue-green leaves and metallic blue thistle-like flower heads. This plant thrives on sunny dunes and sandy beaches. Sea holly survives salt spray and wind with tough, waxy leaves. Its flowers bloom from June to September, providing a lifeline for bees and butterflies in late summer.
Related to carrots, people often mistake sea holly for thistles. Years ago, people would pulp the roots and sweetened with sugar, then sell them as sweets.
Don’t pick these (if you do, these flowers will punish you with an injury, to tell you to stop!)
Sea Thrift (Sea Pinks)
Sea thrift creates pink or purple cushions on rocky cliffs and coastal grassland. The lollipop blooms stand above grassy tufts from April to July. Its strong roots help hold soil together, making it a key dune stabiliser. Look for clusters near paths and cliff tops.
Growing abundantly in Cornwall and Devon, this flower is very tolerant of wind, frost and sun.
Sea Campion
Sea campion offers a cloud of white, bell-shaped blooms, sometimes striped in purple. You’ll spot it on shingle beaches and along sea walls. Its fleshy leaves lock in moisture, letting it thrive where many other plants struggle.
Flowering from late spring to early autumn, it often forms piles of soft greenery covered in delicate flowers. Each petal is split in the middle. So although it looks like it has ten petals, it only has five.
Sea Beet
Sea beet has thick, shiny green leaves and small, greenish flowers that often go unnoticed. You’ll find it at the top of sandy beaches and estuaries.
Its bright leaves look almost like spinach and were once picked for food. Sea beet is salt-tolerant and helps feed insects and birds, which feed on its seeds. It’s the ancestor to beetroot, and also related to Swiss chard.
Sea Aster (Sea Daisies)
Sea aster shows off star-shaped blooms that range from lavender to white. It grows in salt marshes and along tidal rivers. Its flowers open from July to October, providing nectar after many other coastal blooms have faded. Bees love this late summer treat.
Sea Spurge
Sea spurge can look a bit strange, with blue-green leaves and chartreuse flower heads. The plant’s waxy coating protects it from salt and sun. It likes sandy dunes and dry, open places by the coast. Beware: the juice can irritate skin, so admire without touching. Found mostly in southern England.
Sea Rocket
Sea rocket brings purple or white flowers to open sandy beaches, often close to high tide lines. Its thick, fleshy leaves store water, letting it thrive in dry, salty sand. It flowers in summer, attracting hungry pollinators. Its seed pods float, spreading to new beaches on ocean currents.
Sea Kale
Sea kale features stout, lilac-flushed stems and big, curly blue-grey leaves. Sprays of white flowers with a honey scent appear from May to August. You’ll find it on shingle beaches and coastal banks. Its roots stretch deep to tap hidden water and anchor shingle in fierce storms.
Golden Samphire
Golden samphire stands tall with fleshy needle-like leaves and clusters of yellow flowers in late summer. It grows on salt marsh edges and rocky shores, coping with tides and salt spray.
Leave this plant for insects and wildlife to enjoy. Habitat loss (due to coastal development) has made this flower endangered.
Dune Pansy
Dune pansy dots sand dunes and coastal grassland with pale yellow or violet flowers. These small blooms add a flash of colour from April to September. Soft, hairy leaves help it hold on to water in hot, dry spots.
Spring Squill (Poisonous)
Spring squill may look harmless with star-shaped blue flowers, but all parts of this plant are toxic. You’ll find it on short, coastal grassland and rocky turf. Its short flowering spell in spring makes it easy to miss.
Unlike its cousin asparagus, this plant is so poisonous, it could kill you.
Yellow Horned Poppy
Yellow horned poppy is easy to spot thanks to its bright golden petals and long seed pods that look like horns. It grows in shingle and sand around the British coast, flowering from June to September. Its bluish-green leaves and bold flowers make it one of the most eye-catching beach blooms.
Viper’s Bugloss
Viper’s bugloss offers a twist of electric blue and pink spikes on sandy clifftops and dunes. Bees and butterflies flock to its rich nectar. The flowers appear from May to September. Its thick, hairy stems and rough leaves help it survive wind and salt spray.
How to Grow Your Own Coastal Flowers
If you live near the coast and want to grow coastal flowers, RHS has a list of suitable plants, best used with some form of windbreak (woven willow or hazel alternatives are good). Walls or fences are not great, as they can increase turbulence.
If planting green spaces, read about pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens. Avoid facing indoor plants to face gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows.
