# common silverweed (*Argentina anserina*)

Common silverweed is a lovely plant that grows close to the ground. It has bright green leaves and pretty yellow flowers that look like little suns shining in the grass.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![common silverweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Argentina_anserina_14541485.jpeg&width=800)

Photo: Kyle Nessen, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Argentina_anserina_14541485.jpeg)

## Appearance

The common silverweed has distinctive pinnate leaves with a silvery-white, felt-like underside, giving it its name. Its bright yellow, five-petaled flowers bloom individually on slender stems, rising from low-lying rosettes.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Rosaceae
- **Genus:** Argentina

## Interesting facts

- Its roots were a survival food for many cultures, even tasting a bit like parsnips!
- People once called it 'goose grass' because geese loved to eat its tasty leaves!
- Silverweed can grow in salty soil, making it super tough where other plants struggle!
- The silver color on its leaves isn't paint; it's tiny hairs reflecting light!

## Special abilities

- **Sun Shield Leaves:** Common silverweed has silvery undersides on its leaves that reflect sunlight, protecting it from too much sun and heat.
- **Hidden Food Store:** Common silverweed grows edible, starchy roots that store energy, helping it survive harsh conditions.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** Greylag goose (*Anser anser*) — Eats its leaves and shoots
- **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Grazes on its leaves

## Traits

- [Herbaceous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbaceous): Herbaceous plants are non-woody plants with soft stems that typically die back to the ground at the end of the growing season.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [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.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify common silverweed?

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 silverweed?

10-30 cm

### How wide does common silverweed spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on common silverweed?

1-2.5 cm

### When does common silverweed bloom?

Late spring to early fall

### Is common silverweed edible?

Yes

### Is common silverweed toxic?

None

### What is common silverweed's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Glen Haven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glen-haven) — Michigan, US · Historic District
- [Sitka National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sitka-national-historical-park) — US · National Park
- [Lakeview Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lakeview-park) — Michigan, US · Park
- [Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kentucky-alleyne-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

[View all places to see common silverweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-silverweed)

## 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 Silverweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-silverweed)