This Week's Mystery Plant

Next time you bend over to pick up a quarter, look for stars, too: tiny, white, floral stars. Here are some minuscule beauties opening up right now, in the dead of winter, reminding us of a more flowery time to come.

The flowers resemble bright white, 10-pointed stars, but if you look closely, you will see that a single blossom bears only five petals, not 10, and each one of them is longitudinally split, all the way down the middle. The plants are extremely variable, and depending upon their location, may be flat and trailing, or sometimes forming lush, rounded mounds. Notice the tender leaves, which are egg-shaped and dark green. The stems are worth mentioning, as the soft hairs on them tend to be in a single discrete line, rather than scattered all over the surface.

This species is common just about everywhere. It is native to Europe, but has been spread so far around the world now that it is often (and mistakenly) considered a naturally-occurring plant wherever it grows. It is one of a group of weedy species that behaves as what we sometimes call "winter annuals", that is, plants that sprout from seeds during the fall or winter, produce their flowers and seeds, and then dry up and basically disappear by the time things start really warming up in the summer. Each plant produces plenty of flowers, and each flower will form a tiny capsule, containing several even tinier seeds. The seeds, once released, may sprout the following season, or they may lie dormant for some time.

Botanists classify this humble little plant as a member of the carnation family, which of course is the source of garden pinks, sweet-William, and fragrant carnations for centerpieces, corsages, and boutonnieres, as well as a number of show-stopping wildflowers. Our mystery plant's flowers are far too small to ever make it a garden standout, and it's doubtful that you would want to show it off in a vase. Indeed, it is mostly known as a nuisance, growing commonly in moist soil of gardens and paths, often where it is shady. Some people have found it good in salads, though, and there is a long tradition of using its fresh foliage, and seeds, as a food for caged birds. (Photo by Linda Lee.)

Photo by Linda Lee