Common chickweed
June 5, 2015
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EmailStellaria media L. Vill. Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)
Life cycle
Patch-forming, prostrate winter annual.
Common chickweed plant.
Leaves
Opposite, light green, rounded to egg-shaped leaves with pointed tips and smooth margins are hairless and short, hairy petioles.
Common chickweed foliage and flowers.
Stems
Prostrate, smooth stems are spreading and branching to form dense patches. Stems are slender with upper portions growing erect.
Flowers and fruit
Small, white flowers have five petals. Each petal is notched deeply, resembling a pair of petals. Green, hairy sepals surround petals. Fruit are slightly curved, cylindricalshaped capsules that contain many tiny, brown seeds.
Common chickweed flower.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Similar weeds
Mouseear chickweed (Cerastum fontanum ssp. vulgare [Hartman] Greuter & Burdet) Differs by having a perennial habit with densely hairy, stalkless leaves and dark green foliage.
Mouseear chickweed seedling. Mouseear chickweed plant.
Mouseear chickweed flowers. Mouseear chickweed flowering stem.
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