Mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium fontanum
Table of Contents
Plant family: Caryophyllaceae
Aliases: Mouse-ear, common mouse-ear
Flowering period: April – September
Flower colour: White
Preferred soil type: Moist
Habitat: Grassland, hedgerows, waste areas
Status: Common
General information
A short lived perennial wildflower, on rare occasions it can be an annual, it’s found in all types of grassland, waste areas, path edges and hedgerows. It’s considered a troublesome weed in managed turf and garden lawns, as it forms in dense mats, able to withstand close mowing.
Mouse-ear chickweed prefers moist soils that suffer from poor surface drainage, but is equally at home in dry conditions and although it will tolerate light shade, it prefers full sunlight. It’s a low growing, prostate plant but when left to its own devices it typically reaches between 15 – 25 cm in height.
Identification
Flowers: The tiny white flowers, up to 12 mm in diameter are borne in loose clusters of 3 – 5 flowers. They are very similar to those of common chickweed, with each flower having 5 deeply cut petals, often giving the appearance of 10.
Leaves: The small fleshy leaves are opposite, oval – lanceolate shaped and measure between 10 – 20 mm long. They are covered in fine hairs.
Value for wildlife
The flowers attract bees and flies that visit to feed on the nectar. The leaves are also the food source of the larvae of various species of moth.
Uses for mouse-ear chickweed
Mouse-ear chickweed has several medicinal uses, it can be used to soothe skin conditions such as eczema and to treat cuts and abrasions.
The plant is also edible and the leaves can be eaten, either raw or cooked.
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