_Fumaria_officinalis_-_Habit.jpg&width=800)
Common Fumitory
ExplorePlants
Common Fumitory
Fumaria officinalis
Common Fumitory is a small plant with delicate pink flowers that look like tiny bells. It often grows in gardens and fields, making it a pretty sight to see during springtime.
Habitat: Urban areas
Appearance
The Common Fumitory is a slender, scrambling plant with delicate, fern-like, grey-green leaves. Its distinctive purplish-pink, tubular flowers have dark red or black tips, growing in loose spikes. These tiny flowers make it look unique.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRanunculalesFamilyPapaveraceaeGenusFumaria
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Ancient herbalists believed its sap could help clear eyesight, like a 'fume' clearing the eyes!
Its name comes from the Latin 'fumus terrae', meaning 'smoke of the earth', possibly due to its ghostly appearance!
One single plant can produce thousands of seeds, ready to sprout and create an entire field of fumitory!
Though often seen as a weed, its delicate flowers are a miniature beauty often overlooked by busy people.
Special abilities
Ability
Rapid Responder
Common Fumitory can quickly grow in disturbed soil, which helps it colonize new areas fast after disruption.
Ability
Chemical Shield
Common Fumitory has special bitter chemicals that help it deter some hungry animals from eating its leaves.
Ability
Seed Sprinter
Common Fumitory can produce many tiny seeds that allow it to spread widely and create new plants quickly.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-50 cm
- Spread
- 10-60 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.7-0.9 cm
- Bloom Season
- Spring to autumn
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- Mild
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
Honeybee
Apis mellifera
Drinks nectar and collects pollen.
pollinates
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
eaten by
Garden Snail
Helix aspersa
Feeds on the leaves of the plant.
Traits
Bell-Shaped Flower
Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell.
Flowering
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Biennial
Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
Spring Blooming
Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
Medicinal
Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Common Fumitory?
10-50 cm
How wide does Common Fumitory spread?
10-60 cm
How big are the flowers on Common Fumitory?
0.7-0.9 cm
When does Common Fumitory bloom?
Spring to autumn
Is Common Fumitory edible?
No
Is Common Fumitory toxic?
Mild
What is Common Fumitory's lifecycle?
Annual
How is Common Fumitory pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Loading map…
Recent Snaps
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
.jpg&width=800)
_02.jpg&width=800)
