Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Mother of Thousands, Kenilworth Ivy, Pennywort. Cymbalaria muralis, growing on a stone wall, Wales. UK
Ivy-leaved Toadflax may not be considered as a weed by many as it is quite charming when it drapes from an old wall. If it is allowed to grow in a rockery it can overwhelm more delicate specimens. It was introduced from Southern Europe in the 17th century, but is now widespread in the British Isles. The leaves are held on long, reddish stalks and have five rounded lobes which give them their Ivy-like character. They are reddish on the back and both sides are smooth. In flavour they are acrid and pungent in a similar way to cress and have been used in salads in their native regions. A poultice can be used to stem bleeding and an extract may have a use in treating diabetes. The slender stems are the same colour as the leaf and flower stalks and can be up to 90cm long with roots at intervals along their length. The single flowers appear from April to November. They are lilac with a yellow centre and stand erect on long stalks which arise from leaf axils. After fertilization - usually by Bees, the mature seed pod is bent inwards to be pushed into a crevice. Using this method of seed dispersal the plant can colonise a whole wall and is able to climb to the top of a building.
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Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: countryside, cymbalaria, flower, growing, ivy, ivy-leaved, kenilworth, mother, muralis, pennywort., poultice, salad, stone, thousands, toadflax, uk, wales., wall, weed, wild
