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Lesser Chickweed

Stellaria pallida

Found in disturbed areas, gardens, fields. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 53%

Light
Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to wet

At a glance

Bloom
January to December

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 5 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

13CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Stellaria

  • Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
  • Agrotis venerabilisVenerable Dart, Dusky Cut-Worm
  • Elaphria grataGrateful Midget
  • Euphyia intermediataSharp-Angled Carpet Moth, The Intermediate
  • Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
  • Haematopis gratariaChickweed Geometer
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Lacinipolia renigeraBristly Ground Cat, Bristly Cutworm Moth, Kidney Spotted "Mamestra"
  • Lobocleta ossulariaDrab Brown Wave
  • Xanthorhoe ferrugataRed Twin-Spot, Twin-Spot Carpet
Show all 13
  • Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
18BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Stellaria

  • Agelaius tricolorTricolored Blackbird
  • Anser rossiiRoss's Goose
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Haemorhous mexicanusHouse Finch
  • Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
  • Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
Show all 18
  • Passer domesticusHouse Sparrow
  • Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
  • Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
  • Spinus psaltriaLesser Goldfinch
  • Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
  • Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Caryophyllaceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “January to December” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Light · “Partial shade; Full shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Also known as

Lesser Chick Weed

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources