Leaf
Daniel Mathieu, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Ivy-leaved toadflax
Cymbalaria muralis (L.) G.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb.
Also known as: Kenilworth ivy, Coliseum ivy
Family: Plantaginaceae
5 to 10 cm tall, in a trailing carpet
Old walls, low walls, rock gardens, all soils
Flowering: April – October
Full sun
Part shade
Shade
Hardy to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its flowers turn towards the light before fertilisation, then towards the darkness of crevices afterwards, to bury their seeds there.
🍃 Leaves
Small, rounded, lobed, bright green, slightly fleshy
🌸 Flowers
Tiny pale mauve flowers with a yellow throat, shaped like a miniature snapdragon
🍎 Fruits
Small globular capsules
🪵 Bark
Fine trailing stems forming a carpet
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the Italian Alps; widely naturalised on old walls throughout France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Small pale mauve flowers visited by small solitary bees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Low walls, rock gardens, paving cracks, hanging pots; very easy-to-establish trailing ground cover.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known.
🌿 Other Plantaginaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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