Annual mercury
ExplorePlants
Annual mercury
Mercurialis annua
Annual mercury is a green plant that grows in many places. It has soft leaves and can be found in gardens and fields, making it easy to spot during nature walks.
Habitat: Urban areas
Appearance
The Annual mercury is a bushy plant with opposite, bright to dark green leaves that are often serrated. Its tiny, inconspicuous green flowers grow in clusters at the leaf axils, making it look quite ordinary compared to showier plants.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderMalpighialesFamilyEuphorbiaceaeGenusMercurialis
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Annual mercury is often the very first plant to sprout in freshly dug garden soil!
Despite being poisonous, it was once used for medicine by ancient people!
Eating this plant can make milk from cows taste bitter or even toxic!
Its scientific name 'Mercurialis' might hint at its quick, mercurial spread!
Special abilities
Ability
Sexual Separation Power
Annual mercury has male and female flowers on separate plants, ensuring genetic diversity for stronger offspring.
Ability
Rapid Growth Burst
It can grow and produce seeds very quickly, helping it colonize new, disturbed areas fast for survival.
Ability
Wind Whisperer
Its tiny flowers release pollen into the wind, letting it spread far without needing insect help to reproduce.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-60 cm
- Spread
- 15-40 cm
- Bloom Season
- Summer-fall
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- Moderate
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Pollination Method
- Wind
Ecological connections
depends on
Humans
Homo sapiens
Thrives in disturbed soil created by human activity.
eats
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
These birds may consume its small seeds.
shelters
Ground Beetle
Carabus nemoralis
Its bushy growth provides shelter for small insects.
Traits
Flowering
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Medicinal
Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Rapid Growing
Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Do not touch or eat plants without asking an adult first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Annual mercury?
10-60 cm
How wide does Annual mercury spread?
15-40 cm
When does Annual mercury bloom?
Summer-fall
Is Annual mercury edible?
No
Is Annual mercury toxic?
Moderate
What is Annual mercury's lifecycle?
Annual
How is Annual mercury pollinated?
Wind
Where is Annual mercury usually found?
Urban areas
Snap Map
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