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Common Name: Kenilworth Ivy

General Information

Cymbalaria muralis is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.10 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

The plant might be slightly toxic[]

Botanical References

,

Range

S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.

Habitat

Walls and other well-drained sites, shady rocks and woods, usually on calcareous soils[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.10 m
Pollinators	Bees, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a moderately good soil and some shade[].
Plants usually self-sow freely[] and can be invasive, especially when grown on old walls[]. They succeed both on dry-stone walls and on old mortared walls[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw[, , ]. The leaves have been used in salads, being acrid and pungent like cress[]. We find them rather bitter and not very pleasant, though they are available all year round and so might be useful in the winter[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal

The herb is antiscorbutic and vulnerary[, ]. It is used externally as a poultice on fresh wounds to stop the bleeding[]. There are reports that it has been used with success in India for the treatment of diabetes[, ].

Other Uses

A clear yellow dye is obtained from the flowers, though it is not very permanent[, ].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow early spring to early summer in a cold frame and do not exclude light. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 18°c[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Division in late spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.