# Gray chickweed (*Cerastium brachypetalum*)

Gray chickweed is a small, delicate plant with tiny white flowers. It often grows in gardens and fields, making it a friendly sight in nature.

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

![Gray chickweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cerastium_brachypetalum_%28%D5%83%D5%BC%D5%B3%D5%BC%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%AF%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Beko, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cerastium_brachypetalum_%28%D5%83%D5%BC%D5%B3%D5%BC%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%AF%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Gray chickweed has small white flowers with deeply notched petals, making them look like tiny stars. Its stems and leaves are covered in fine, grayish hairs, giving the plant a soft, downy appearance. It typically grows low to the ground.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Caryophyllaceae
- **Genus:** Cerastium

## Interesting facts

- Gray chickweed is like a comfy carpet for little insects that like to hide among its leaves!
- Its tiny seeds can stay alive in the soil for many years, waiting for the perfect time!
- Look closely at its white petals; they are split so deeply they look like ten tiny petals!
- This plant can quickly grow from just a small patch to cover a much larger area!

## Special abilities

- **Water Saver:** Gray chickweed has fuzzy leaves that help it trap moisture and prevent water loss, keeping it hydrated in drier spots.
- **Cool Crusader:** This plant can sprout and bloom early in the year, letting it get a head start before other plants compete for sun.
- **Ground Hugger:** Gray chickweed grows close to the ground, which helps it stay warm and protected from harsh winds.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.8 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits for nectar and pollen.
- **Eaten by:** European hamster (*Cricetus cricetus*) — Forages on leaves and stems.
- **Eaten by:** [Deer mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Consumes seeds and shoots.

## 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.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [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.
- [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.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before touching or picking plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Gray chickweed?

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 Gray chickweed?

5-20 cm

### How wide does Gray chickweed spread?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Gray chickweed?

0.3-0.8 cm

### When does Gray chickweed bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Gray chickweed edible?

Yes

### Is Gray chickweed toxic?

None

### What is Gray chickweed'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: [Gray chickweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gray-chickweed)