Wild Flowers

These creamy, green many-flowered spikes are seen growing out of cliffs, rock crevices and walls. It seems to thrive in places where other plants may struggle, such as dry walls and deep shade.

Insight into Navelwort or Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris): native and common in the west of the British Isles, it flowers from June to September. The leaves have a navel-like depression in the centre.

It’s a member of the Stonecrop (Crassulaceae) family.

The leaves are edible and are said to have a pleasant, mild flavour in winter and early spring, being less appealing in the summer.