Water Chickweed
Stellaria aquatica
Also listed as Myosoton aquaticum, Alsine aquatica
Climate Match for your location
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A low-growing, mat-forming perennial with delicate white flowers that thrives in wet or boggy conditions. Excellent for pond edges and moisture-rich garden areas.
Why grow it
Water chickweed offers finer foliage and a more delicate appearance than coarser wetland alternatives like mouse-ear chickweed, making it useful for softening pond margins and boggy transitions. It establishes readily in consistently wet soils where many ornamental groundcovers fail, providing low maintenance ground cover in difficult microsites. The small white flowers attract minor pollinators and add visual interest to areas that might otherwise remain bare or weedy.
Watch out for
In very sheltered or artificially heated water gardens, monitor for occasional mealybug or spider mite pressure during extended dry periods indoors, though outdoor plants rarely require intervention. The plant performs best when given consistent moisture rather than periodic flooding and drying cycles, so site selection matters more than active management. Very alkaline or nutrient-rich pond water may encourage denser growth that requires occasional thinning to prevent it from becoming overly thick.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae
Native Range
Europe and temperate Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A low-growing, mat-forming perennial with delicate white flowers that thrives in wet or boggy conditions. Excellent for pond edges and moisture-rich garden areas.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Water Chickweed grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Water chickweed offers finer foliage and a more delicate appearance than coarser wetland alternatives like mouse-ear chickweed, making it useful for softening pond margins and boggy transitions. It establishes readily in consistently wet soils where many ornamental groundcovers fail, providing low maintenance ground cover in difficult microsites. The small white flowers attract minor pollinators and add visual interest to areas that might otherwise remain bare or weedy.
Watch out for
In very sheltered or artificially heated water gardens, monitor for occasional mealybug or spider mite pressure during extended dry periods indoors, though outdoor plants rarely require intervention. The plant performs best when given consistent moisture rather than periodic flooding and drying cycles, so site selection matters more than active management. Very alkaline or nutrient-rich pond water may encourage denser growth that requires occasional thinning to prevent it from becoming overly thick.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae
Native Range
Europe and temperate Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
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