Umbilicus rupestris

There are some plants that grow if you need to have a garden or grow them indoors. There are some types of plants that have a spontaneous growth that can develop in stony areas, walls and cliffs. One of these plants is the Umbilicus rupestris. It is known by the common name of the navel of Venus and develops spontaneously in Spain, Portugal and Great Britain, among others.

In this article we are going to tell you about the characteristics, habitat and properties of Umbilicus rupestris.

Main features

Its curious name comes from the placement of its leaves. And it is that they have a spherical, pelted and fleshy geometry that has an appearance similar to that of the leaves of the money plant. There are some differences between the leaves of this species and that is that they have a somewhat more circular shape. In Spain it is known by some common names apart from the navel of Venus, such as the serpent of the snake, the bell of the roofs, the ear of the monk and the garlic of the walls. These common names have been given since these plants grow spontaneously in the least expected places.

It is a herbaceous and succulent species with a creeping appearance. Its stems and leaves are fleshy and reach a maximum height of 60 centimeters. The most normal thing is that we find specimens with a length of about 10 to 15 centimeters. Its maximum height will depend on the area where it is developed and the capacity it has. One of the main characteristics is that it is capable of developing an inflorescence that covers the entire main stem. It is here where it takes advantage of and develops its flowers and later the seeds with which it can be propagated.

It does not have any qualities as an ornamental plant nor is it cultivated anywhere. What has been studied about this plant is that it has medicinal properties. The blooming of the navel of Venus takes place in mid-spring. Normally, this flowering lasts until the middle of the summer.

The family to which this plant belongs are the Crassulaceae. In this group of plants we find numerous species that have fleshy leaves and are related to cacti. This means that they are plants that tend to grow in areas with a warm climate and little rainfall. The fact that it can thrive anywhere is that it can perfectly survive in hot, dry environments. The crassulaceae family has about 1400 species.

Habitat of the Umbilicus rupestris

As mentioned before, this plant takes advantage of many areas to be able to develop in good conditions. Since it is a fairly rustic plant, it has good characteristics to be able to survive in almost any environment. For this reason, they take advantage of the stony areas, the holes in the wall, the cliffs, roadsides and even the roofs of the houses. It is in these places where they find the appropriate humidity conditions for the development of their roots.

As it needs little humidity, it only needs a part of it at its base. This makes it a fairly rustic plant with a fairly wide propagation capacity. Being a seed-type propagation makes it a great survivor in difficult environments. You just have to see that it can thrive in good conditions in hot, dry climates with low humidity.

Its growth requires hardly any moisture or soil fertility in order to grow. This plant takes advantage of any nook between the stones to be able to develop. It has been found in areas with a very high climatic range. Its area of ​​distribution developed in a wide climatic range that is between Spain, Portugal and even the cold areas of Great Britain.

This plant can withstand some frosts down to -15 degrees, even if only for short periods of time. When you have parts that are affected by lack of water or cold weather, they can sprout easily as soon as the temperatures improve again. It is usually attacked by the usual pests and diseases that affect fatty plants. Especially it is something more sensitive to fungi such as rust or anthracnose.

Propagation and uses of Umbilicus rupestris

Since it has become one of the most rustic plants there are people who take advantage of some more desolate parts of the garden to fill in. One of the most common ways is that this plant has to expand its area of ​​distribution is through seeds. This plant produces a large number of seeds in the spring and summer time and is spread by the action of the wind. This means that it has a high germination percentage and can be developed in many areas. It is not a plant that is usually cultivated for ornamental purposes, although there are some people who take advantage of its ease of dispersal.

Regarding its uses, it is not known for sure that it is effective for the treatment of some diseases. Traditionally it has been had as a medicinal plant. However, it has been proven that it has important properties as an adjuvant to treat some ailments of the body with quite satisfactory results. Among the properties of Umbilicus rupestris we find that it helps to prevent the increase of bacteria. This makes it a very useful plant to accelerate wound healing and burn healing.

It is highly valued in the nutritional field as it is effective in eliminating free radicals. It is usually eaten in salads and is used to decorate some dishes. It is characterized by having some healing properties among which we have its ability to heal wounds, burns, ulcers and pimples. It is also used to treat some skin conditions. To be able to use them, you just have to crush their clean leaves on the affected part. The liquid obtained by being able to slaughter the leaves and the stem is effective in treating earaches. It must be administered several times a day until the pain disappears.

As you can see, even plants that grow spontaneously in the least expected places can be very useful. I hope that with this information you can learn more about Umbilicus rupestris.