SafePlants

Field Chickweed (Cerastium arvense)

Cerastium arvense, commonly known as field chickweed or field mouse-ear, is a flowering plant belonging to the pink family. It's a widespread species found in various habitats.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant forms loose mats with trailing stems.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Cerastium arvense L.
• Common Names: Field chickweed, field mouse-ear, field mouse-ear chickweed, meadow chickweed, prairie chickweed
• Family: Caryophyllaceae (Pink or Carnation family)
• Synonyms: Cerastium arvense ssp. strictum

Distribution and Habitat

• Field chickweed is native to western Europe and has been introduced to northeastern North America.
• It thrives in rocky or sandy places, especially in limy soil.
• It is found in grassy or rocky habitats throughout Europe and in parts of North and South America.
• It's a common pasture weed throughout the United States, except for the southern third of the country.
• It can grow up to 3400 m altitude.

Morphological Characteristics

• Field chickweed is a perennial herb with a loosely mat-forming growth habit.
• Stems are trailing or decumbent, branched above, and range from 5 to 30 cm in length (10-40 cm according to another source).
• Leaves are linear to widely lance-shaped, 1/3 to 1/2 inch long, with pointed tips. They can also be lanceolate to oblong, 1-3 cm long, with fascicled leaves below.
• Flowers are white, with 3-6 flowers (rarely single) attached in an open, branched cluster at the stem tip.
• The flowers have 5 deeply notched petals, giving the appearance of 10 petals.

Ecological Role

• It is considered a weed found in some pastures.

Distinguishing Features

• Field chickweed is very similar to mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum), but its leaves are more narrow and darker.
• Mountain Chickweed (C. beeringianum) is similar but grows at high elevations in Americas western mountains, has green-edged.