1. Guides
  2. RWMWD Plant Guide
  3. Giant Chickweed

Giant Chickweed

Myosoton aquaticum

Summary 3

Myosoton aquaticum is a plant species in the genus Myosoton and belongs to the family Caryophyllaceae. It is also called a water chickweed or giant chickweed. It is a perennial herbaceous dicot plant with stems between 10 and 100 cm. high, growing in humid, wet areas, for example, on the sides of gutters or under or between bushes. They are naturally occurring in the temperate regions of central and western Europe.

Description 4

Family:
Caryophyllaceae (Pink)

Height:
6 to 24 inches

Leaves:
Egg-shaped leaves (2.5" long and 1" wide) are oppositely attached and are stalkless, making it appear that the leaves encircle the stem

Flower:
White, 5-petaled flowers have deep lobes that make it appear that there are 10 petals, up to 0.5" wide

Bloom time:
May-October

Habitat:
Thickets, shorelines, disturbed areas

Can I plant this in my garden?
No, giant chickweed is non-native and considered weedy and should be removed by hand pulling before seeds are produced.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/giant-chickweed

Range 4

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Sarah, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/dluogs/5131909307/
  2. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
  3. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q157859
  4. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Flower white
Family Caryophyllaceae
Habit Forb
Life cycle perennial
Origin introduced
Bloom time (5) May, (6) June, (7) July, (8) August, (9) September, 10 - October
*sites Snail Lake
Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers