# Wall Pennywort (*Umbilicus rupestris*)

Wall Pennywort is a fun plant that grows in rocky places and walls. It has round, green leaves that look like little coins and can be found in many gardens and parks.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Wall Pennywort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Navelwort_700.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Photo by sannse, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Navelwort_700.jpg)

## Appearance

The Wall Pennywort has distinctive, fleshy, coin-shaped leaves that are bright green, often with a reddish hue at the edges. Its leaves are succulent and attach to the stem from their center, resembling tiny umbrellas. Small, pale greenish-yellow, bell-shaped flowers grow in tall spikes.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Saxifragales
- **Family:** Crassulaceae
- **Genus:** Umbilicus

## Interesting facts

- It can even grow upside down from cliff faces, getting moisture from dripping rocks!
- Its leaves were traditionally used as cool compresses for minor burns and scrapes!
- The plant gets its common name because its round leaves look like old pennies.
- Wall Pennywort is sometimes called Navelwort because of the leaf's central stem attachment!

## Special abilities

- **Wall Walker:** Wall Pennywort has shallow, clinging roots that help it survive on rocky walls and cracks, defying gravity!
- **Water Wallet:** This plant has thick, succulent leaves that store water, letting it thrive in dry, exposed places.
- **Leafy Umbrella:** Its unique central-stemmed leaves can collect rainwater, directing it down to its roots.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-30 cm
- **Spread:** 10-20 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Western honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar.
- **Eats:** [garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Feeds on its succulent leaves.
- **Pollinates:** [common drone fly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-drone-fly) (*Syrphus ribesii*) — A common flower visitor.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [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.
- [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

Always check with an adult before touching or tasting any plant.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Wall Pennywort?

Compare leaf arrangement, rosette shape, ribs, spines and flowers. Keep in mind that drought and strong sun can shift a plant's color and shape. Succulent Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Wall Pennywort?

5-30 cm

### How wide does Wall Pennywort spread?

10-20 cm

### How big are the flowers on Wall Pennywort?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Wall Pennywort bloom?

Summer

### Is Wall Pennywort edible?

Yes

### Is Wall Pennywort toxic?

None

### What is Wall Pennywort's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Fota Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fota-wildlife-park) — Municipal District of Cobh, IE · Zoo
- [Monte Arabí Natural Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monte-arabi-natural-monument) — Región de Murcia, ES · Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Wall Pennywort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wall-pennywort)