Cerastium viride
Western field mouse-ear chickweed, Western Field Mouse-Ear Chickweed
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Cerastium viride (Western field mouse-ear chickweed) is a native California perennial in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by large petals and long pedicels.
Western field mouse-ear chickweed is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, central coastal, and San Francisco Bay Area bioregions in coastal grasslands, dunes, and rocky slopes at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces white flowers with deeply notched petals 10 to 15 millimeters long. Growing 15 to 45 centimeters tall with glandular-hairy stems that form mat-like clusters, it spreads with both non-flowering and erect flowering stems. Its leaves are lance-ovate to narrowly oblong, 10 to 45 millimeters long, with axillary leaf clusters particularly prominent near the base of the plant. The plant forms distinctive mat-like clusters with glandular hairs, especially on its upper stems.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinguished by large petals and long pedicels
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal grassland, dunes, rocky slopes
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Santa Clara, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino
Outside California: to Oregon
Bloom period
Cerastium viride blooms Spring-early summer.
How to tell it apart
vs Stellaria: Cerastium capsules are cylindrical and curved; Stellaria capsules are round and straight.; vs Limnanthes: Cerastium has tiny white flowers with cylindrical capsules; Limnanthes has showy bowl-shaped flowers with separate nutlets.; vs Pseudostellaria: Cerastium has fuzzy leaves and curved capsules; Pseudostellaria has smooth leaves and straight capsules.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cerastium viride native to California?
Yes. Cerastium viride is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cerastium viride bloom?
Cerastium viride blooms Spring-early summer.
Where in California does Cerastium viride grow?
Cerastium viride occurs in Santa Clara, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Cerastium viride belong to?
Cerastium viride is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Cerastium.
What habitat does Cerastium viride grow in?
Cerastium viride grows in Coastal grassland, dunes, rocky slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cerastium arvense subsp. strictum — Field mouse-ear chickweed
- Cerastium beeringianum — Bering mouse-ear chickweed
- Cerastium dichotomum — Forked mouse-ear chickweed
- Cerastium diffusum — Dark green mouse-ear chickweed
- Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare — Common mouse-ear chickweed
- Cerastium glomeratum — Sticky mouse-ear chickweed
- Cherleria biflora — Mountain sandwort
- Cherleria sp.
- Dianthus armeria subsp. armeria — Grass pink
- Dianthus barbatus subsp. barbatus — Sweet-william
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.