SafePlants

Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium fontanum and Cerastium vulgatum)

Mouse-ear chickweed refers to several species of Cerastium, most commonly Cerastium fontanum or Cerastium vulgatum. It is often found in lawns and other disturbed areas.

Considerations for Pets

• Mouse-ear chickweed is a mat-forming plant and may spread in lawns and gardens.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Cerastium fontanum or Cerastium vulgatum
• Common Names: Mouse-ear chickweed, Common Mouse-ear Chickweed, Big Chickweed, Clammy Chickweed, Clustered Mouse Ear, Starweed.
• Family: Caryophyllaceae (Pink or Carnation Family)
• Other Scientific Names: Cerastium vulgatum, Cerastium caespitosum, Cerastium holosteoides

Distribution and Habitat

• Mouse-ear chickweed is widely distributed.
• It's commonly found throughout the UK, the United States, Ohio, Tasmania and Montana.
• It grows in various habitats, including gardens, grasslands, waste places, roadsides, woods, lawns, pastures, cultivated ground, and disturbed ground.
• It is an introduced plant that has become widely naturalized from Europe.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Mouse-ear chickweed is a perennial, though sometimes short-lived, or rarely an annual.
• It exhibits a low, spreading, mat-forming growth habit.
• It has hairy leaves and stems, distinguishing it from common chickweed (Stellaria media), which has smooth stems.
• The flowers are tiny and white, with five deeply divided petals.

Ecological Role

• Mouse-ear chickweed is often considered a weed, particularly in lawns and turf.
• Its prostrate growth habit allows it to withstand low mowing practices.

Quirky Facts

• The name "mouse-ear chickweed" comes from the mouse ear shape of the leaves.

Further Information

• NatureShare