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Common Fumitory

©Philip Precey

Common fumitory

Enw gwyddonol: Fumaria officinalis
A scrambling 'weed' of waste ground, fields and gardens, Common fumitory can be found on dry and disturbed soils. Its pink flowers appear over spring and summer.

Species information

Category

Ystadegau

Height: up to 10cm

Statws cadwraethol

Common.

Pryd i'w gweld

April to October

Ynghylch

Common fumitory is a common, scrambling plant that grounds in arable fields and on waste ground in the wider countryside, and favours well-drained, disturbed and bare soils. It can also be found in gardens, where some gardeners view it as a weed.
It has crimson-tipped, pink flowers that appear from April to October.

Sut i'w hadnabod

A scrambling plant, Common fumitory has small, much-divided, grey-green leaves and crimson-tipped, pink flowers.

Dosbarthiad

Widespread.

Habitats

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

Historically, herbalists have used Common fumitory to treat conjunctivitis and skin diseases, and to cleanse the kidneys. But the plant is actually poisonous, so this should not be tried at home.

Sut y gall bobl helpu

Our gardens are a vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside, allowing species to move about. In fact, the UK's gardens provide more space for nature than all the National Nature Reserves put together. So why not try leaving wilder areas in your garden, such as patches of buttercups in your lawn or nettles near your compost heap, to see who comes to visit? To find out more about encouraging wildlife into your garden, visit our Wild About Gardens website: a joint initiative with the RHS, there's plenty of facts and tips to get you started.