Eugene van der Pijll, no rights reserved (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons

Mollugo spp.

Molluginaceae

Warm temperate to tropical regions worldwide

Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

Overview

Mollugo spp. is a genus of roughly 15 small annual and short-lived perennial herbs in the family Molluginaceae, widespread across warm temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions. The most familiar species, Mollugo verticillata, is a flat, prostrate warm-season annual that branches repeatedly from a central point to form a circular mat 6-18 inches (15-45 cm) across and under 2 inches (5 cm) tall. Narrow, spoon-shaped leaves are arranged in whorls of three to eight at each node, giving the genus a tiered, spoke-like look. Tiny flowers about 0.1 inch (2-3 mm) wide lack true petals and instead show five white to greenish sepals, opening in small clusters from the leaf joints through the warm months. The fruit is a small capsule splitting into three to release numerous seeds. Adapted to disturbed, sandy, and seasonally dry ground, several species behave as fast weeds of gardens, fields, and paths, completing a generation in a single season.

Native Range

Mollugo spp. occurs through warm temperate to tropical regions on several continents. Mollugo verticillata is widely treated as native to the warmer Americas and has naturalized far beyond, becoming a common warm-season weed of cultivated and disturbed soils worldwide.

Suggested Uses

Rarely planted by design; the genus is encountered mainly as a volunteer ground-covering weed on bare, warm-season soil. Mats can hold loose surface soil temporarily on disturbed sites. The genus is seldom offered in cultivation.

How to Identify

Recognized by a flat, ground-pressed mat with leaves in distinct whorls of three to eight at each node and repeated forked branching from a central crown. The tiny five-parted flowers are white to greenish and lack true petals. The whorled leaves and prostrate, spoke-like branching separate Mollugo spp. from spurges and other low mat weeds.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1" - 2"

Width/Spread6" - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~16 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering runs through the warm season, roughly June to October in temperate areas, with bloom continuing as long as conditions stay warm and moist. Individual flowers are minute and open in small clusters at the leaf joints. Seed set is heavy and rapid, allowing several overlapping generations in long summers.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to greenish

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

As warm-season plants, species germinate once soil warms and grow in full sun on light, well-drained, often sandy or disturbed soil. Moderate moisture speeds growth, though established mats tolerate short dry spells. Poor and compacted soils are readily colonized. No feeding is needed, and the annual species die with the first frost. Where these plants are unwanted, shallow cultivation or removal before seed set limits spread. The genus has little role in deliberate planting and is most often managed as a weed.