Uses:
Pollination is by various insects including bees and Lepidoptera.
It is a highly ornamental plants for seaside gardens and rockeries. The cultivar ‘Vindictive’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit.
Armeria maritima is a common species in the UK, however there are several subspecies and in England, subspecies elongata (Tall Thrift) has vulnerable conservation status and is designated as a species of principal importancefor biodiversity conservation under the NERC Act (2006).
It has some medicinal value but can also have undesirable side-effects according to Julian Barker. In traditional Welsh Medicine, the plant was known as Clustog Fair (Mary’s Pillow)
See also interesting information on Plantlife Website
Limonium or Sea Lavenders have about 15 different native species, several subspecies and many endemics according to Stace. As the name suggest they are always found along the coast and in salt-marshes. It is not related with the lavender!
Limonium vulgare or Common Sea-Lavender
It is a great nectar-source and is visited by bees, wasps, butterflies and moths.
This is an attractive plant with some medicinal use:
The roots are decongestant and depurative. They are used in the treatment of consumption with haemorrhage