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Common Fumitory

©Philip Precey

Common fumitory

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Scientific name: 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.

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Height: up to 10cm

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

April to October

About

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.

What to look for

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

Where to find

Widespread.

Did you know?

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.