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How to Manage Pests

Identification: Weed Photo Gallery

Mouseear chickweed

Scientific name: Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare (Family Caryophyllaceae)

Life stages of Mouseear chickweed Seedling Flower Mature plants

Click on image to enlarge

DESCRIPTION:
Mouseear chickweed is a prostrate perennial broadleaf weed with stems that root at the nodes to form dense patches. Seed leaves are rounded and lack hairs. True leaves are opposite, rounded on the ends, and are sessile (attached to the stem without a stalk). Hairs are prominent on the upper leaf surface and on stems. Small, white, inconspicuous flowers are formed in clusters at the end of stems and have five petals. Each petal is so deeply divided that flowers often appear to have ten petals rather than five.

Broadleaf ID illustration.

Text modified from Elmore, C.L., W.B. McHenry, and D.W. Cudney. 1989. Weed control in large turf areas. Chapter 3 in Turfgrass Pests. UC ANR Publication 4053.


Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See How to manage pests, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance. /PMG/WEEDS/mouseear_chickweed.html revised: March 11, 2008. Contact webmaster.