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.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

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

Distribution and Habitat

• Field chickweed is widespread, occurring in grassy or rocky habitats throughout Europe and in parts of North and South America.
• It is introduced from western Europe and is present in northeastern North America.
• It thrives in rocky or sandy places, especially in limy soil.
• It is also a common pasture weed throughout the United States, except for the southern third of the country.

Morphological Characteristics

• It is a perennial herb with a growing form that forms loose mats.
• Stems are trailing or decumbent, branched above, and range from 5 to 30 cm in height.
• Leaves are lanceolate to oblong, 1-3 cm long, with fascicled leaves below. They are linear to widely lance-shaped, 1/3 to 1/2 inch long, with pointed tips.
• Flowers are white, in an open, branched cluster at the stem tip.
• Each flower has 5 deeply notched petals, making it appear as if there are 10 petals.

Ecological Role

• Field chickweed is morphologically very close to a native American species.
• It is considered a common pasture weed in many areas.

Additional Information

• It prefers full sun and requires low watering, being drought-tolerant.
• It grows to a height of 6-12 inches.