SafePlants

Cymbalaria muralis: Ivy-leaved Toadflax

Cymbalaria muralis, commonly known as Ivy-leaved Toadflax or Kenilworth Ivy, is a charming herbaceous perennial ground cover.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant forms a dense mat of tiny, shallow-lobed, rounded to kidney-shaped leaves.
• It has slender stems that may be trailing.
• It's known to grow in rocky and stony places, including walls, which could present access to pets and children.

Considerations for Children

• This plant forms a dense mat of tiny, shallow-lobed, rounded to kidney-shaped leaves.
• It has slender stems that may be trailing.
• It's known to grow in rocky and stony places, including walls, which could present access to pets and children.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Cymbalaria muralis
• Family: Previously treated in Scrophulariaceae, but recently reclassified based on genetic analysis.
• Synonyms:
  • Antirrhinum cymbalaria L.
  • Antirrhinum hederaceum Lam.
  • Antirrhinum hederifolium
  • Elatine cymbalaria Moench
  • Linaria cymbalaria
• Alternative Scientific Names: There is also mention of species rank names, but there are only 10 accepted species names within the genus *Cymbalaria*.

Common Names

• Ivy-leaved Toadflax
• Kenilworth Ivy
• Coliseum Ivy
• Oxford Ivy
• Mother of Thousands
• Pennywort
• Wandering Sailor

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to southern Europe, it has naturalized in many parts of the British Isles.
• It thrives in well-drained, rocky, and stony places, such as old walls, bridges, and pavements, often near habitation.
• Introduced to Britain and Ireland approximately 400 years ago, it is now considered naturalized.

Ecological Role

• While not native to some regions (e.g., California), it has become naturalized.
• It can be found growing in cracks of old walls, forming neat little cushions.
• It is considered an alien species in some regions.

Morphological Characteristics

• It is a perennial growing to a height of 0.1 meters (4 inches) and a spread of 0.4 meters (1 foot 4 inches).
• Stems are slender, trailing, often purplish, tufted, and hairless, growing up to 60 cm long and rooting at the nodes.
• Leaves are alternate, kidney-shaped to almost rounded with 5 to 9 lobes and long stalks, measuring 2.5-5 cm.
• Flowers are lilac with snapdragon-like form.

Quirky Facts

• The genus name Cymbalaria comes from the Latin word "cymbalum," meaning "a cymbal," referencing the similarity of the round leaves to cymbals.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Mentioned in the context of Corsican Toadflax (Cymbalaria) tall-herb communities.

Further Information

• The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) provides help and information on Cymbalaria muralis.
• Discover Life provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cymbalaria muralis.