Cerastium
cerastium, chickweed, mouse-ear chickweed
11 species
3 subspecies and varieties
3 subspecies and varieties
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Cerastium arvense – starry cerastium, field chickweed, field mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America, except for the south-central and southeastern U.S., to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Open slopes and meadows, from coastal cliffs and balds to inland valleys, rocky hillsides, forest openings, and subalpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America, except for the south-central and southeastern U.S., to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Open slopes and meadows, from coastal cliffs and balds to inland valleys, rocky hillsides, forest openings, and subalpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. strictum – field chickweed
Cerastium beeringianum – alpine chickweed
Distribution: Occurring in the North Cascade Mountains in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains in the U.S.; east across Canada to the Atlantic coast.
Habitat: Alpine zone, mostly in cirques or on talus.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring in the North Cascade Mountains in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains in the U.S.; east across Canada to the Atlantic coast.
Habitat: Alpine zone, mostly in cirques or on talus.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Cerastium brachypetalum – gray mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in southeastern Washington and in the Columbia River Gorge; southern Washington to western Oregon; also occurring in eastern North America.
Habitat: Dry, disturbed areas.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in southeastern Washington and in the Columbia River Gorge; southern Washington to western Oregon; also occurring in eastern North America.
Habitat: Dry, disturbed areas.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Cerastium brachypodum – short-stalk mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in central Washington, where disjunct; southeastern Oregon to southern Idaho and southwestern Montana; disjunct in central Washington.
Habitat: Grassy or disturbed areas, often where seasonally wet.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in central Washington, where disjunct; southeastern Oregon to southern Idaho and southwestern Montana; disjunct in central Washington.
Habitat: Grassy or disturbed areas, often where seasonally wet.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Cerastium dichotomum – forked mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations east of the Cascades crest in the Columbia River Gorge and in southeastern Washington; Washington to California, east to western Idaho.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, especially along roadsides.
Origin: Introduced from southern Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations east of the Cascades crest in the Columbia River Gorge and in southeastern Washington; Washington to California, east to western Idaho.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, especially along roadsides.
Origin: Introduced from southern Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Cerastium fontanum – common mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Disturbed ground, lawns and gardens
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-September
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Disturbed ground, lawns and gardens
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-September
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
• ssp. vulgare – common chickweed, mouse-ear chickweed
Cerastium glomeratum – sticky mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but more common west of the crest; Alaska to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Prairies, balds, fields, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but more common west of the crest; Alaska to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Prairies, balds, fields, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Cerastium nutans – nodding mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east across North America except for California, Nevada, and Utah.
Habitat: Dry to moist shorelines, streambanks, fields, and other disturbed, open areas..
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east across North America except for California, Nevada, and Utah.
Habitat: Dry to moist shorelines, streambanks, fields, and other disturbed, open areas..
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
• var. nutans – nodding chickweed
Cerastium pumilum – dwarf mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, and from the Great Plains east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Dry, sandy or gravelly balds, fields, prairies, roadsides, and other disturbed open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, and from the Great Plains east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Dry, sandy or gravelly balds, fields, prairies, roadsides, and other disturbed open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Cerastium semidecandrum – five-stamen mouse-ear chickweed
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; southern British Columbia to Oregon, east to Idaho, also from the Great Plains east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Prairies, forest edge, fields, roadsides, wastelots, and other open areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; southern British Columbia to Oregon, east to Idaho, also from the Great Plains east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Prairies, forest edge, fields, roadsides, wastelots, and other open areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Cerastium tomentosum – snow-in-summer
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington British Columbia to Oregon, east to Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, the Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, and wastelots at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington British Columbia to Oregon, east to Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, the Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, and wastelots at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
