Repotting guide

When & how to repot Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris)

Also called Navelwort, Wall Pennywort, Pennywort, Venus's Navel-wort.

More about navelwort

About Navelwort

Umbilicus rupestris · also called Navelwort, Wall Pennywort · houseplant

Umbilicus rupestris is a fleshy, coin-leaved succulent wildflower native to west European stone walls, cliffs, and hedgebanks from the British Isles to the Mediterranean. Its distinctive navel-like depression in the centre of each round leaf gives it its name. A winter-growing, summer-dormant species, it needs cool, moist winters and dry summer rest.

Mature size: Rosette up to 10–15 cm across during active growth; flower spikes to 30 cm tall in spring

Watch for — Tuber rot in summer: If the dormant tuber is kept too wet in summer it rots rapidly. Once leaves have died back, keep the pot almost completely dry and in a cool, shaded spot until new growth resumes in autumn.

How to tell navelwort needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For navelwort, watch for these signs:

Flowering has tailed off year on year and the clump has become congested and overcrowded.
Lots of leaf and few flowers — a classic sign that navelwort bulbs or tubers need lifting and dividing.
Bulbs visibly bursting the pot or pushing each other to the surface.
It is the natural dormancy window (foliage yellowed and died back) — the only safe time to lift and split.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot navelwort

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, navelwort is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Winter-growing, summer-dormant geophyte; produces a basal rosette of rounded, peltate leaves from a central tuber, dying back fully in summer.

What size pot to step navelwort up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant navelwort, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot navelwort

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing navelwort in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting navelwort

Wait for dormancy. Let navelwort foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh gritty, free-draining loam at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting navelwort, keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for navelwort

Navelwort wants gritty, free-draining loam. A mix of loam-based compost with 30–40% coarse grit or perlite mimics the thin, sharply draining soil found in wall crevices. Good drainage is essential; waterlogging during dormancy will rot the tuber. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting navelwort — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot navelwort?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for navelwort. Navelwort is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in gritty, free-draining loam. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does navelwort need?

When is the best time of year to repot navelwort?

Do you "repot" navelwort, or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Navelwort grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise navelwort after repotting?

Hold off feeding navelwort until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.