Guide to Chickweed Identification & Control

Both Common chickweed and Mouse-ear chickweed form prostrate patches in lawns and then grow upright if not mowed. Common chickweed is a low spreading weed with a weak, shallow root system. Its stems are light green, thin, and root at the nodes. Older portions of stems can be hairy, while newer growth stems are smooth.

Common chickweed leaves are light green, opposite of each other, oval shaped, and pointed at the tip. Mouse-ear chickweed has a fibrous, shallow root system which produces nodes when roots make contact with the soil.

Its stems and leaves are hairy and slightly sticky when touched. Its leaves are darker green, oval shaped, and grow opposite of each other. Both of these chickweeds have long, sparsely hairy petioles for the leaves on the lower stems, while not having petioles for the leaves on the upper stems.

Both produce small white flowers with five heart shaped petals, arranged in clusters. These heart shaped petals are deeply lobed in the center, sometimes making it appear as though the flower has ten petals.

Common chickweeds flowers bloom between February and November, while mouse-ear chickweeds flowers bloom from May to October. Both weeds germinate from seed in late summer to fall, with mouse-ear chickweed also being able to germinate into early spring.