# pellitory-of-the-wall (*Parietaria judaica*) Pellitory-of-the-wall is a small green plant that often grows in cracks of walls and old buildings. It has tiny flowers and soft leaves, making it a little treasure in urban areas! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![pellitory-of-the-wall](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Parietaria_judaica_000.jpg&width=800) Photo: Franco Folini, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parietaria_judaica_000.jpg) ## Appearance The pellitory-of-the-wall has sprawling, reddish, hairy stems and bright green, oval leaves with pointed tips. Its tiny, greenish-pink flowers cluster inconspicuously in the leaf axils, blending with its foliage. It often creates green patches on old walls. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Urticaceae - **Genus:** Parietaria ## Interesting facts - Ancient Romans sometimes used its rough leaves to scrub and polish their pots! - If you touch its stems, they might feel a little sticky, like tiny burrs! - Its pollen can make some people sneeze a lot, causing what we call hay fever! - The plant's name comes from 'wall-flower' because it loves growing on old walls. ## Special abilities - **Sticky Seed Spreader:** Pellitory-of-the-wall has tiny, sticky seeds that cling to passers-by, helping it travel to new locations. - **Crack Conqueror:** Pellitory-of-the-wall can root and grow in the smallest cracks of walls, surviving tough conditions. - **Pollen Explosion:** Pellitory-of-the-wall's pollen bursts explosively into the air when touched, maximizing wind pollination. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-80 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring-fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails graze on its leaves and stems. - **Eaten by:** European Greenfinch (*Chloris chloris*) — Birds consume its small seeds. - **Eaten by:** Dotted Border (*Agriopis marginaria*) — Its caterpillars eat the foliage. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's safe to look at, but don't eat any plants unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify pellitory-of-the-wall? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is pellitory-of-the-wall? 10-80 cm ### How big are the flowers on pellitory-of-the-wall? 0.1-0.2 cm ### When does pellitory-of-the-wall bloom? Spring-fall ### Is pellitory-of-the-wall edible? Yes ### Is pellitory-of-the-wall toxic? None ### What is pellitory-of-the-wall's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is pellitory-of-the-wall pollinated? Wind ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Pellitory-of-the-wall: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pellitory-of-the-wall)