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Cymbalaria muralis

Ivy-leaved Toadflax · Kenilworth Creeper · Kenilworth Ivy

Family PlantaginaceaeGenus Cymbalaria

A trailing mat of small ivy-shaped leaves on red stems with tiny lilac and yellow snapdragon flowers, over mossy rock
The whole plantFranco Folini from San Francisco, USACC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Ground Cover, Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Height
2-3 in5-7.5 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-1.5 ft30-45 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Blue, Gold/Yellow, Purple/LavenderExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Fall, Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Austria, France, Italy, NW. Balkan Pen.GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
5-8Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Deep shade; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Its flower stalks grow toward the light until the flower is fertilized, then away from it. That pushes the seed capsules into dark crevices in walls, where they are more likely to germinate. Other names include coliseum ivy and Kenilworth ivy. Wikipedia: Cymbalaria muralis

Two sources report three treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Cymbalaria p. 27Public domain
Show the original text
Cymbalaria (Scrophulariaceae). C. muralis required light and germ. 100% in 3-10 w in 70L and none in 70D or 40-70D. When the sample in 70D was shifted to . 70L after 12 w only 3% germ. Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Cymbalaria p. 27. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

12% germination in 21–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cymbalaria p. 35Public domain
Show the original text
Cymbalaria (Scrophulariaceae). C. muralis germ. 70L(12% in 3-8 w) and 70D(2% in 4th w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cymbalaria p. 35. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

2% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cymbalaria p. 35Public domain
Show the original text
Cymbalaria (Scrophulariaceae). C. muralis germ. 70L(12% in 3-8 w) and 70D(2% in 4th w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cymbalaria p. 35. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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