agretti 'Barba di Frate'
agretti Roscano
Bundles of verdant, fleshy, needle-shaped leaves, traditionally served in Italian regions with oil and lemon, have the crunch of samphire and a succulent, delicate, slightly acidic flavour, similar to spinach. It's also rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. The green fronds of Agretti 'Barba di Frate', a salt-tolerant succulent also known as saltwort, friar’s beard or land seaweed, are coveted as an Italian delicacy by restauranteurs and foodies alike.
Try to keep the soil around the base of the plants consistently moist but not waterlogged, and snip off the chive-like leaves regularly, while they're young and tender.
We recommend soaking the hard seeds overnight before sowing. Sow in February or March indoors, starting them in a tray covered with about 1.2cm of seed compost and move them into cells or pots as the first true leaves emerge. Sow outdoors from March to June, 1.5cm deep with 1-2 seeds spaced out every 3cm, with 30cm between rows. No need to thin out. For a continuous harvest sow successionally every few weeks. Harvest from May to September when the leaves are approximately 15cm long - and for the most tender stems, pick them as soon as they mature.