Chickweed, common (Stellaria media)

Most often a winter annual that can sometimes become a perennial under certain environmental conditions. Common chickweed is primarily a weed of winter small grains but also forms dense mats of green vegetation prior to planting no-till corn or soybeans. Leaves are arranged oppositely and are elliptic in outline, 1/2 to 1 inch in length, and mostly hairless. Stems often root at the nodes and have hairs that occur in vertical rows. Small white flowers occur at the end of stems alone or in small clusters.

IPM1007, revised June 2007