Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) on a city wall in April
The little wildflowers along the edge of the suburban streets here in Cardiff have flourished since I last photographed them in February (see the post here). We had plenty of rain, which helped, although we have now gone into a dry spell, so I expect this weedy greenery will wither and shrivel.
As usual, the prettiest plants are growing on the walls lining the streets…
This magnificent Herb Robert had escaped my notice until now…
As a member of the Geranium family, the only thing stopping it being a beautiful garden plant is its small size. But even then I can see it working quite well on a rockery, and it does grow naturally on the edge of shingle beaches, so I would welcome it as a “weed” on the gravel patch in my garden.
Herb Robert leaves are fern-like
Herb Robert’s other nicknames include Red Robin, Death Come Quickly, Storksbill, Dove’s Foot, Crow’s Foot and Red Shanks. It has been called Robert’s herb since the 13th century and is probably named after Saint Robert. I think this may be St Robert of Molesme in Burgundy, one of the founders of the Cistercian order in France.
Robert died on April 17, 1111 and was made a saint in 1222. His feast day in the Roman Catholic Church was originally his deathday, but it was later moved to April 29, so he is quite topical this month.
The hairy red stems are rather attractive
In traditional European herbalism, Herb Robert is thought to cure toothache and nosebleeds as well as healing wounds. Apparently if you crush the leaves and rub it on all over, the smell (a bit like burning rubber) repels mosquitoes.
The flower was also carried for good luck and fertility, perhaps by association with storks (which we all know deliver babies). Personally I have never heard Herb Robert called “storksbill”, although I see there is a similar and related species (Erodium cicutarium) called common storksbill, native to the warmer Mediterranean, not Britain, and introduced as an invasive weed to America in the 18th century.
I assume the shape of the flower bud gives Geraniums their alternative name of cranesbills
Then there are the pavement (sidewalk) plants I couldn’t quite identify back in February, but I think I can name them now…
Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) where the wall meets the pavement
Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is very easy to identify when it gets to this stage in its development – can you see the triangular pods?
Shepherd’s purse seed pods – and is the stem on the left covered in green aphids?
I always thought shepherd’s purse was native to Britain, but apparently it is an “archaeophyte”, meaning it was introduced here (from eastern Europe or Asia Minor) at some time before Columbus went to the Americas. It is now a common “weed” across most of the temperate parts of the northern hemisphere.
More shepherd’s purse
It reproduces by seed and can flower all year round. I was interested to find it is used as a food, both for humans and animals. In Japan it is part of Nanakusa-no-sekku, a seven-herb rice porridge traditionally eaten on January 7. The other six herbs are water dropwort, cudweed, chickweed, nipplewort, miniature white turnips and white winter radish.
Talking of chickweed, it is still flourishing on the pavement…
Chickweed (Stellaria media) on the pavement in April
As well as being eaten, chickweed has been used by herbalists to treat skin and lung disease. Apparently it cures mange in animals.
There was another street green I couldn’t identify in February, but now I think it is bittercress…
Some sort of bittercress, possibly Cardamine hirsuta
I think it is either Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress) or Cardamine flexuosa (wavy bittercress), but apparently one way of differentiating is that in the wavy form the fruits aren’t taller than the flowers – and in this example they are. This may be the same species as the bittercress I have growing all over my backyard at the moment, self-seeded in pots and nooks and crannies. Only here it looks more lush, so I’m not sure if it is a different species or just better fed…
Bittercress in a pot in the garden
The flowers are distinctively four-petalled, as are all members of the Brassicaceae (crucifers) or cabbage family – this is bittercress in my garden a few weeks ago
The Old English name for bittercress is stune and it is part of the pagan Nine Herbs Charm invoked in the 10th century for the treatment of poisoning or infection.
The groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) seen on the pavement in February is now flourishing and has seed-heads like miniature dandelion clocks.
Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) on the pavement
It is said that the Latin name Senecio comes from Sinex, meaning an old man, from the appearance of the seed-head, which looks like white hair and when the seeds blow away it looks like a bald head.
Groundsel has been described as both poisonous (causing liver damage) and a remedy, so unlike some of the other plants mentioned above, not the sort of greens to put in your food!
Finally, back to the walls…
I think this is wall lettuce (Latuca muralis)
I’m not certain this is wall lettuce (Latuca muralis), but having seen this clump in flower in previous years, I think I’m right. If so, it has pretty little yellow flowers on dark stems. There is a chance it’s smooth sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) but we’ll see when it flowers!
Maidenhair spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes) is common here
The Maidenhair spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes) abounds on all our suburban walls, whether stone or red-brick.
Rusty-back fern (Asplenium ceterach)
The rusty-back fern is pretty when fresh but ugly when it dries out. Its Latin name is Asplenium ceterach, but it used to be called Ceterach officinarum. I seem to remember that “officinarum” denoted that the plant had a medicinal use, and in this case it was used in an infusion as a diuretic (to make you wee).
But I don’t want to end on that note so finally we have some yellow corydalis (Corydalis lutea).
Yellow corydalis now grows like a weed
I have seen yellow corydalis in various gardens within a square mile of this wall, but it seems to have drifted to wild places – this is the wall of a small electricity substation.
A closer look
This corydalis is a native of the foothills of the Italian and Swiss Alps, so it has certainly spread a long way over the years. I suspect it was originally introduced as a rockery plant, when rockeries were fashionable.
This blog post is part of Lucy Corrander’s Loose and Leafy Street Plants project. Find out more about it here. Thanks again for the idea, Lucy!
The Squirrelbasket 
Fascinating post with loads of information. It’s always interesting to know where words and names come from – and you always tell us! It’s great!
One of the things I’ve found out by intentionally looking for urban street plants is how pretty the flowers of some of the smaller ones are. In the ordinary way of things we only notice their foliage.
The Bittercress; I only learnt its name for the last street plants post. Now I see how pretty the flowers are en masse; like a frothy, low-level blanket over bare ground.
I’ll have to look to see if we have corydalis round here too.
Agree with all that. But I hope I don’t sound as if I know everything before I write the post, as I look up most of it to find out for myself.
En masse I suppose you could say the bittercress is a bit like low-level Queen Anne’s lace, although a totally different family, of course.
One of my favourite little ones is ivy-leaved toadflax, which I saw so much of this time that I didn’t bother to photograph it! You can imagine small fairies making a posy of it.
By the way, it was only when I saw your post that I threw in that the “wall lettuce” might actually be sow thistle, as it’s quite like something you featured. I see it every day, so will watch out for the flowers!
All the best – and thanks again for organising such wonderful themes 🙂
Fascinating, informative and full of interest. As children we would munch on Shepherds Purse seedpods 🙂 Thank you for identifying wall lettuce – have been wondering what it was growing nearby here
That’s very adventurous, eating the shepherd’s purse! I wonder how you knew it wasn’t poisonous?
Please don’t take my word for the wall lettuce, as I have my doubts after Lucy identified something similar as sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus). It will be easier to tell when it flowers, as in my view the wall lettuce is delicate and pretty and the sow thistle isn’t!
All the best 🙂
we were closer to our foraging ancestors than children of today 😉 thanks for the update on lettuce/thistle – will pay more attention to what is growing nearby here
Indeed, although the most memorable lesson my mother ever taught me was what berries NOT to eat, such as the nightshades. I expect that put me off foraging 🙂
so interesting Pat. Thank you 🙂
And thank you so much for always tweeting my posts, even when I don’t myself!
All the best 🙂
I’m always amazed at how plants can grow out of walls from what seems like no soil at all.
Indeed. I suppose that’s the wonder of “weeds”, that they can make do on so little!
Best wishes 🙂
Great post! I enjoyed seeing and learning about so many street plants. You have such a diversity. Some are familiar – Shepherd’s purse is a “weed” in the US too, but never a problem, and I like it with its distinctive pods. We also have Asplenium trichomanes – but in the wild. Nice to have it common on your walls, it’s a beauty.
Thanks for your kind words.
I suspect the spleenwort is a lot bigger “in the wild”.
Wales is a green and ferny place – much wetter than your Wyoming and Colorado!
All the best 🙂
Loved that, it’s right up my street!
Well, up MY street, anyway 🙂