Mouseear chickweed plant with small white flowers.

Mouseear chickweed – Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare

Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare (Hartman) Greuter & Burdet

Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)

MI Status

Non-native

Life cycle

Patch-forming perennial.

Leaves

Opposite, dark green, oval to spatula-shaped leaves with pointed tips and smooth margins are densely hairy and stalkless.

Stems

Prostrate, spreading stems can root at the nodes, forming dense patches. Stems are slender and very finely hairy with swollen nodes.

Flowers and fruit

Small, white flowers have five petals. Each petal is notched deeply to resemble a pair of petals. Green, hairy sepals surround petals. Fruits are slightly curved, cylinder-shaped capsules that contain many tiny, brown seeds.

Reproduction

Seeds and creeping stems.

Similar weeds

Common chickweed
[Stellaria media (L.) Vill.]
Differs by having an annual habit with hairless leaves and light green foliage.

Mouseear chickweed plant growing on the soil surface with oblong hairy leaves.
Mouseear chickweed plant
The photo is of flowers of mouseear chickweed. They are small, white flowers with 5 petals. Each petal is notched deeply to resemble a pair of petals.
Mouseear chickweed flower
The photo is of a mouseear chickweed seedling. It has small, oblong hairy leaves.
Mouseear chickweed seedling

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  • msu plant & pest diagnostics,
  • perennial

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