ALEXANDRA-MARIA KLEIN

JULIA KROHMER

A FIELD GUIDE
TO URBAN
PLANTS
COMMON SPECIES
OF PAVEMENTS,
WALLS AND WASTE
GROUND

PELAGIC
Contents

Foreword 6
Preface 7

INTRODUCTION 8
Building awareness 8
Diversity in town 11

BOTANY ON THE STREET: SPECIES ACCOUNTS 14

White flowers 15
Yellow flowers 47
Red, purple or pink flowers 83
Blue flowers 96
Green or brown flowers 110
Woody plants 120
Grasses, sedges and rushes 124
Ferns 132
Mosses and liverworts 138

Glossary 140
Photo credits 142
Index 143
Colophon 144
BOTANY ON
THE STREET:
SPECIES
ACCOUNTS
 s l e n de r rou n de d
pods
ve ry sma l l c r e am y-
w h it e f l o w e r s

roset t e w ith
s poo n-shape d Adapted to nutrient-poor
l e ave s habitats and does very well
in towns. It is usually self-
pollinating and seeds are spread
by soil movement, wind or their
adhesive threads

Thale-cress
Superstar of plant research
Arabidopsis thaliana | Brassicaceae

A PLANT THAT HAS PLAYED A KEY

ROLE IN RESEARCH
This inconspicuous species is surely the North Africa, but it can now be found
world’s best-researched plant. It has been in large parts of the world. Originally,
a model organism in genetics since 1940 its natural habitats were dry woodland
and, thanks to its simplicity, was the first clearings, but it took advantage of the
plant genome to be sequenced. It is nati- beginnings of human agriculture and
ve to the temperate zones of Eurasia and has flourished ever since.

DESCRIPTION: upright, mostly branching, decreasingly hairy towards top of stem |

GROWTH FORM: annual or biennial | HEIGHT: 5–30 cm | LEAVES: rosette leaves
longish spoon-shaped, serrate with a blunt tip, stem leaves mostly entire, without
­petioles, narrowly lanceolate; the whole plant has a blue-grey hue | FLOWERING:
Apr–May | FRUIT: long slender pods
 c l u st e r s of w h it e f l o w e r s
at th e apex of th e st e m

l e ave s sm e l l
of ga r lic w h e n
c r u sh e d

s qua r e
st e m s

Garlic-mustard
A flavoursome travel companion
Alliaria petiolata | Brassicaceae

Often known by the name Jack-by- plant and is now categorised as an

the-Hedge, this attractive, fresh-green invasive species there. It grows in
plant grows across large parts of spring in cool, nutrient-rich places –
Europe, the Middle East and Central particularly in open deciduous
Asia as far as China and India. It woodland, but also in towns, parks
was introduced to North and South and along path edges. Often occurs
America as an aromatic and medicinal together with Stinging Nettle Urtica

DESCRIPTION: fresh green plant with upright, square stem and clusters of small
white flowers at the apex | GROWTH FORM: herbaceous biennial | HEIGHT:
20–100 cm | LEAVES: kidney-shaped, notched basal leaves with long petioles;
­alternate, heart-shaped stem leaves; indented margins | FLOWERING: Apr–Jun |
FRUIT: pods

6
dioica which also has a preference for
nitrogen-rich habitats.

PREFERABLY FRESH AND RAW

Since the characteristic peppery garlic-
like taste disappears with cooking or
drying, unlike the better-known Wild
Garlic-mustard provides food for many
Garlic Allium ursinum. Also known different species of insect.
as Jack-by-the-hedge, it has been used
for seasoning food for about 6,000
years. We know this from the finds at the base of the flower. However,
of plant remains on pottery shards this species is not so friendly to other
in northern Germany and Denmark. plants: its roots give off chemical
Garlic-mustard is thus the oldest substances that inhibit the growth of
known European condiment. In the mycorrhizal fungi. The seedlings of
Middle Ages, it was often grown many woody plants depend on the
in the garden because real pepper latter, and without them grow poorly
imported from Asia was too expensive or not at all. Garlic-mustard thus
for most people. Young leaves taste prevents woody plants from
good in smoothies, soft cheese or growing too close to it.
simply eaten with a slice of bread. The
still-green pods can be added to make
a peppery salad, whilst the ripe black
seeds may be used like pepper or made
into a kind of mustard. The pungent
root may be grated like horseradish
and the flowers are excellent as salad
decoration. Everything about this
plant is delicious!
The seeds are
ALSO LOVED BY INSECTS
distributed by the wind.
The caterpillars of several species In rainy weather the seeds
of butterfly feed on the leaves of become slimy and sticky
Garlic-mustard, notably the Orange- and get stuck to passing
tip – that wonderful symbol of spring. walkers or animals,
hitching a ride to a
Many wild bees, beetles, flies and ho-
new location.
verflies like to help themselves to the
easily accessible nectar that collects

7
 de n se c l u st e r s
of f l o w e r s

fe lt like
hai r s

sta l k l e ss l e ave s
o n st e m s The hairs on the plant
from sunlight and
evaporation. It has
white stellate hairs
visible with a good
magnifying glass.

Sweet Alison
Garlands among the paving slabs
Lobularia maritima | Brassicaceae

Native to the Mediterranean and and colour are quite

North Africa where it favours coastal variable due to all the
cliffs, this popular garden plant has different cultivated varie-
been grown in Britain since at least ties of this species, but once
the early 1700s. Familiar as an escape naturalised it tends to revert
in seaside areas, towns and cities, on closer to the wild form. The flowers
pavements and sometimes below have a sweet, pleasant smell – hence
hanging baskets. The flower size the name.

DESCRIPTION: upright or decumbent, branching below; slender grey-green leaves

densely covered in short hairs | GROWTH FORM: annual or perennial | HEIGHT:
10–35 cm | LEAVES: sessile or with a broad petiole, linear-oblanceolate up to 5 cm
long, entire, sometimes fleshy, tip obtuse | FLOWERING: Apr–Oct | FRUIT: small
flattened oval pods

8
 sma l l pu r se-
shape d pods
sma l l w h it e
flowers

Recipe for success: one

plant produces up to
64,000 seeds which
st e m l e ave s l a nc e o l at e remain viable for up to
a n d se ssi l e 30 years. Four generations
can be created each
year.

Shepherd’s-purse
A chic purse for the town dweller
Capsella bursa-pastoris | Brassicaceae

FOUND EVERYWHERE AND AT

ANY TIME. This ubiquitous and
familiar species flowers almost
throughout the whole year. It likes to seeds aids their distribution as they
grow in bright and fertile conditions, attach themselves to the soles of shoes
and owes its name to the shape of its and the fur and paws of animals. This
seedpods which are reminiscent of slime also contains special enzymes
the small pouches carried by medieval which break down nematodes near
shepherds. They taste hot and spicy the germinating seeds, protecting
and were once used like pepper to them while also creating additional
season food. A sticky slime around the nutrients in poor soils.

DESCRIPTION: inflorescences initially somewhat clustered, but as the fruits develop

the flowerheads become longer, loose racemes | GROWTH FORM: annual or biennial
| HEIGHT: 2–70 cm | LEAVES: basal leaves with short petioles, undivided to pinnatifid,
unevenly serrate (reminiscent of a dandelion), stem leaves lanceolate, sessile |
­FLOWERING: Jan–Dec | FRUIT: small heart-shaped pods

9
 l o n g th i n
pods

c o nvex
r o u n de d roset t e
p i n nat e
l e ave s

Thanks to a special mechanism,

this pretty little plant can launch its
seeds over distances up to
1.4m. It has been spreading
Hairy quickly in recent decades.

Bittercress
Urban salad
Cardamine hirsuta | Brassicaceae

ADVANCING. The natural distribu-

tion of this formerly quite rare, extre-
mely adaptable species is Europe and
Asia, but today it can be found almost
worldwide and is equally at home (indeed, they can appear at any time
in vegetable patches, in the cracks really). Good for us, because its tender
between paving stones, on building leaves and shoots are edible and rather
sites or in flowerpots. Its roots may be flavoursome – they taste aromatically
up to 35 cm deep and new leaf rosettes pungent, similar to its relative, garden
can be found very early in the year cress, and can be used in the same way.

DESCRIPTION: basal rosette that appears convex. Several branching stems |

GROWTH FORM: annual | HEIGHT: 7–30 cm | LEAVES: basal and stem leaves
with 1 to 7 pairs of pinnate leaves and a terminal leaflet, pinnate leaves of the basal
­rosette kidney-shaped or widely obovate, those of the stem leaves elongate ovate |
­FLOWERING: Mar–Jun | FRUIT: slim cylindrical pods

10
 i nt e n se
foet id-pe p pe ry
odou r

pai r e d,
r o u n de d,
r ou g h pods

at t ract ive
p i n nat e
l e ave s

Lesser Swine-cress
A real stinker?
Lepidium didymum | Brassicaceae
The origins of this species are in pavements, paths and gardens.
unknown but thought to be South Often possible to smell it before you
America. It has long been a common see it: the pungent peppery odour is
wayside and waste ground plant in unique – and although most people
Europe and elsewhere, and was first find it unpleasant, some are strangely
recorded in Britain in the early 1800s. fond of its particular scent. When in a
A mainstay of damp farm gateways, mass, its intricate leaves have a certain
it is also frequent in towns and cities, beauty.

DESCRIPTION: rosettes of pinnate leaves, hairless or with sparse hairs, crowded ra-
cemes of minute whitish flowers | GROWTH FORM: annual | HEIGHT: procumbent,
up to 40 cm | LEAVES: basal and stem leaves with 2 to 6 pairs of pinnate leaves and a
terminal leaflet, leaflets often acutely lobed anteriorly | FLOWERING: May–Oct |
FRUIT: pairs of tiny rounded pale green pods

11
 th ic k su cc u l e nt
l e ave s peta l s
w ide ly
s pac e d

p i n ky-
w h it e
flowers

Danish Scurvygrass
Roadside Milky Way
Cochlearia danica | Brassicaceae

In recent years, this native species of Puccinellia distans and Sea Barley
sandy and pebbly shores has made Hordeum marinum. Its clusters of
dramatic advances inland along our lilac-white flowers make a striking
road systems. Its ecological status as a impact in winter and early spring; by
halophyte (salt-tolerant) has allowed it the middle of the year all that is left are
to exploit road-edge habitats where salt- empty seedpods and dead dried stems.
grit is spread in the winter – along with The scurvygrasses got their name from
other species formerly confined to the being used to ward off scurvy due to
coast, such as Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass their high vitamin C content.

DESCRIPTION: stems ascending or spreading, sometimes branched, hairless |

GROWTH FORM: annual to biennial | HEIGHT: 3–25 cm | LEAVES: rounded and heart-
shaped at base, bluntly lobed above and nearly sessile higher up the stem, dark green
or purplish, fleshy | FLOWERING: Dec–May | FRUIT: small rounded oval pods

12
 th e peta l s a r e de e ply
divide d – de s p it e
ap pe a ra nc e s th e r e a r e
o n ly fou r, n ot e ight.

l e ave s c o n fi n e d
to th e ba sa l roset t e .

Common
Whitlowgrass
Modest and miniature Whitlowgrass is the smallest
species to be found in urban areas,
Erophila verna | Brassicaceae perhaps also the most fleeting. It
flowers very early in spring and
DESERVES MORE ATTENTION fruits after only a few days, often
This dainty little plant likes a lot of disappearing again by April. For this
light and grows in very nutrient- reason it is one of a suite of species
known as ‘early-spring ephemerals‘.
poor locations that are difficult for
many plants. It is so named because
it was traditionally supposed to cure
whitlows, infections of the fingertip. white flowers in April. The leaves die
The seeds germinate in winter and the back before the seeds are ripe – but the
plant survives as a small rosette of lea- chlorophyll in the pods is sufficient to
ves until spring when it produces small, nourish the seeds until they are ready.

DESCRIPTION: basal rosette with unbranched, leafless stems with stellate hairs,
­often grows in clumps of several of the same species | GROWTH FORM: annual |
HEIGHT: 3–15 cm | LEAVES: entire or slightly toothed, obovate to lanceolate |
­FLOWERING: Mar–May | FRUIT: small pods

13
 five rou n de d r e ddi sh st e m s
peta l s w ith l ot s of
st ic ky hai r s

l e ave s w ith
th r e e l obe s

Rue-leaved The name ‘saxifrage’, which is

Saxifrage
applied to numerous plants of
different genera, means ‘stone-
breaker’ and relates to the
Footsteps of stars habit of growing out of cracks
in rock.
Saxifraga tridactylites | Saxifrageaceae

A simply exquisite little native plant of surprised to find dog hair tangled up
rocky or sandy calcareous substrates. in patches of this plant). The attrac-
Like the previous species, it has also tively lobed yellowy-green, red-tinged
moved into urban areas and can be leaves resemble those of the medicinal
found constellating pavements and plant Rue Ruta graveolens, hence
walls early in the year. The stems the vernacular name (but the species
are a characteristic red colour and epithet tridactylites – ‘three-fingered’
are covered in sticky hairs (don’t be is helpful to remember).

DESCRIPTION: red zigzagging stems and thick-looking lobed leaves give this
plant a distinctive appearance | GROWTH FORM: winter annual | HEIGHT: 3–15 cm |
­LEAVES: pinnately divided into 1 to 5 lobes | FLOWERING: Feb–May |
FRUIT: capsule

14
se pa l s l o n ge r
tha n peta l s

pl a nt
ap pe a r s
g r e y-g r e e n

If you compare them to

Thyme- carnations in a flower
shop, you might be a little

leaved disappointed, but take a

closer look: on a sunny

Sandwort
day the tiny white flowers
glow like white stars.

Scruffy asterisms
Arenaria serpyllifolia | Caryophyllaceae

ONCE A NATIVE OF the temperate While it appears fragile, it is in

zones of Eurasia and north Africa, this fact very resistant to trampling.
little herb can today be found over Despite the passing resemblance of
large areas of the world, its propaga- its leaves, this species is not related
tion being aided by human factors. In to thyme. The flowers can be self-
urban areas it favours walls, the edges pollinating or may be pollinated by
of paths and cracks in paved surfaces. small solitary bees.

DESCRIPTION: delicate, spindly, grey-green and rough-haired, branched growth

with pretty white flowers | GROWTH FORM: annual or biennial | HEIGHT: 3–30 cm |
­LEAVES: opposite, oval or ovate with pointed tips, 2–6 mm in length | FLOWERING:
May–Sep | FRUIT: capsule

15