22nd August 2025

The churchyard is awash with this native plant, Pellitory-of-the-wall (Parietaria judaica). In particular, it grows out of the walls and alongside tombs. It is a relative of Stinging Nettle and the caterpillars of Red Admiral butterflies can sometimes be found feeding on its leaves. Also feeding on its leaves are the larvae of a tiny leaf miner moth, Cosmopterix pulchrimella. These have caused the pale mottled marks on the older leaves in the picture. The moth was only discovered in the UK in 2001.

Pellitory-of-the-wall