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Common Mouse-ear

©Northeast Wildlife

Common mouse-ear

Scientific name: Cerastium fontanum
Common mouse-ear is a persistent 'weed' of fields and gardens, verges and hedgerows - all kinds of habitats. But, like many of our weed species, it is still a good food source for insects.

Species information

Statistics

Height: up to 30cm

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

April to September

About

Common mouse-ear is a kind of chickweed with tiny white flowers that is found in all kinds of habitats all over the UK, from gardens to grasslands, waste grounds to walls. It flowers from April to September and its thought that its seeds can last in the soil for up to 40 years. It is considered a weed of cereal crops.

How to identify

A low-growing, spreading plant, Common mouse-ear has tiny, white, five-petalled flowers; its dark green leaves are covered with white hairs.

Distribution

Widespread.

Habitats

Did you know?

A single Common mouse-ear plant can produce as many as 6,500 seeds!

How people can help

Our gardens are a vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside, allowing species to move about. In fact, the UK's gardens provide more space for nature than all the National Nature Reserves put together. So why not try leaving wilder areas in your garden, such as patches of buttercups in your lawn or nettles near your compost heap, to see who comes to visit? To find out more about encouraging wildlife into your garden, visit our Wild About Gardens website: a joint initiative with the RHS, there's plenty of facts and tips to get you started.