# Common Cow-wheat (*Melampyrum pratense*)

Common Cow-wheat is a pretty plant with yellow flowers that bloom in summer. It grows in grassy places and is loved by bees and butterflies!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Common Cow-wheat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Melampyrum_pratense.jpeg&width=800)

Photo: Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 09:39, 3 October 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Melampyrum_pratense.jpeg)

## Appearance

The Common Cow-wheat has slender stems and narrow, opposite leaves. Its tube-shaped flowers are typically bright yellow, often with a reddish or purplish tinge, appearing in leaf axils, and are visually distinct from grass or clover.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Orobanchaceae
- **Genus:** Melampyrum

## Interesting facts

- Bumblebees love visiting its unique tube-shaped flowers for a sugary nectar treat!
- Cows and other grazing animals enjoy munching on this plant, giving it its 'cow' name!
- Its seeds look surprisingly like tiny wheat grains, inspiring part of its name!
- Young Cow-wheat leaves can sometimes show a lovely reddish or purple tint!

## Special abilities

- **Root Robber:** Common Cow-wheat can secretly tap into the roots of other plants to steal water and nutrients, helping it thrive.
- **Ant Taxi Service:** This plant grows tasty treats on its seeds, so ants carry them to new spots for dispersal.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-50 cm
- **Spread:** 5-15 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Parasitizes:** [Silver Birch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-birch) (*Betula pendula*) — Steals nutrients from its roots.
- **Parasitizes:** Pedunculate Oak (*Quercus robur*) — Attaches to oak roots for extra water.
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Depends on:** European Red Ant (*Myrmica rubra*) — Ants carry its seeds for a treat.

## Traits

- [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Don't eat any plants without asking an adult first!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Common Cow-wheat?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Common Cow-wheat?

10-50 cm

### How wide does Common Cow-wheat spread?

5-15 cm

### How big are the flowers on Common Cow-wheat?

1-2 cm

### When does Common Cow-wheat bloom?

Summer

### Is Common Cow-wheat edible?

No

### Is Common Cow-wheat toxic?

None

### What is Common Cow-wheat's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Common Cow-wheat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-cow-wheat)