Mouse Ear Chickweed

Weeds may be there in most damp places. Though it may be considered as a menace by the gardener they may be edible and medicinal and may prove useful in many ways. One among this is the Mouse Ear Chickweed whose biological name is Cerastium Vulgate belongs to the Chickweed family. Being the native of Europe and white in color they are noted mainly for their hairiness. They have small flowers with five small petals that are deeply lobed, giving the appearance of 10 petals growing up to a height of 6 to 18 inches. The stems being hairy and sticky and sepals slightly longer or shorter than petals Mouse Ear Chickweeds are distributed all over North America, Western and Southern Greenland, Baffin Island, Labrador, Iceland, Scotland, Norway and Svalbard. Common mouse-ear chickweed is a biennial or short lived perennial with taproot. Mostly in the lawns, open areas as well as partially shaded areas .The petals being split chickweeds looks best when the trees sheds its leaves and when there isn’t any shade to cover its beauty. Chickweeds can be seen from late winter to early spring.

Chickweed got its name because they are said to be loved by chikens. Mouse ear chick weed is said to have the taste of corn silk when it’s raw and tastes like spinach when cooked. All parts of chickweeds are worth eating too. The leaves, stems can be included in the diet because of its contents like Vitamin C, Iron, Phosphorus and trace minerals. Mouse ear chickweeds which shrink on cooking concentrates the nutrients and makes up for usual vitamin lose while cooking. In addition to all these mouse ear chickweeds have many medicinal values too. They have a soothing effect on irritated skin. They are used on cuts, minor burns and rashes. Bandaging it on affected areas by itself or mixed with clay can have a drying and drawing effect. Mouse ear chickweeds are also a mild beverage which promotes the flow of urine thus cleansing and soothing the kidneys and urinary tract. Mouse ear chickweeds don’t deplete the body of minerals as other pharmaceutical diuretics.

Mouse ear chickweeds are easily mistaken for other plants of the same species but they aren’t as tall as the common chickweeds. Mouse ear chickweeds belong to the family of Caryophyllaceae. Mouse ear chickweeds are also known as Field Chickweed, Field Mouse-ear, and Meadow Chickweeds. Mouse ear chickweeds don’t need much water to grow. They need only average water and full sun exposure though partial shade can’t make any hindrance in the growth. The mouse-ear and sticky chickweeds are adapted to wide range of habitats, from dry open areas to moist woods, from mountain rocky slopes or river bars to nutrient rich sea-bird, colonies. Their leaves are green in color and 1-2 cm long, 3-12 mm wide, oval to elliptic in shape and lacking a petiole (sessile), with prominent hairs on upper surface and the veins beneath and the roots are shallow and fibrous. The name is derived from the shape and texture of the leaf. The leaf is shaped like a mouse ear, without a point. To add to the mouse ear metaphor, the leaf has tiny hairs along the edge which can be seen when it is held up against the light. The flowers which are white in color are seen in a clusters of three the end of stems. They reproduce by seed and occasionally by creeping stems that may root where they touch the soil. Mouse-ear chickweed also seems more tolerant of hot or dry conditions.

Mouse-ear chickweed can be a problem in lawns, where it grows rapidly to fill areas damaged by mechanical injury. Mowing is not effective for control of mouse-ear chickweed in lawns, as it encourages plants to develop more vigorous prostrate growth. Common mouse-ear and sticky chickweeds have not been observed in undisturbed plant communities in Alaska and its impact on native community composition is not documented. The Blooming Britain, one of the best Online Florists, has a good collection of Chickweeds.