States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaArkansasFloridaLouisianaMississippiVirginiaWest Virginia
Menu

Canadian Clearweed

Pilea pumila

Found in swamp forests, bottomlands, freshwater marshes, tidal marshes, disturbed wet ground. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

21
Good

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
4–20 inches
Light
Dappled sunlight, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Annual
Fruiting season
September to November

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves · Bloom

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

Recorded in 20 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 3

Swamps

The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405
William McIlvaine, The Chickahominy Swamp (1862): wind-tossed swamp trees standing in dark water under a storm. Shown: Chickahominy Swamp, Virginia, a neighboring state.The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405, William McIlvaine (1813-1867), 1862. Public domain. Source record. scaled to 1280 x 909 by the Wikimedia thumbnailer from 6171 x 4382; no crop or other change

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 82 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (45)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

3CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Pilea

  • Cosmopterix pulchrimellaBeautiful Cosmopterix Moth, Chamber's Cosmopterix
  • Heterophleps refusariaThree-Patch Bigwing
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Urticaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–10b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Yellow, green or white
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
November

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Clearweed

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot

Sources