Sherardia arvensis
field madder
Europe, North Africa, and western Asia
SunFull Sun – Part Shade
Overview
Sherardia arvensis is a low-growing annual reaching 2-16 inches (5-40 cm) long, with slender, four-angled, prostrate to sprawling stems that root at the lower nodes. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves are arranged in whorls of 4-6 around the stem, each 0.2-0.7 inch (5-18 mm) long with a small bristle tip and rough margins. Tiny funnel-shaped flowers about 0.1-0.2 inch (3-5 mm) across, pale lilac to pink, are clustered in heads of 4-8 surrounded by a ring of leaf-like bracts, appearing from May to October. The fruit is a small dry two-parted nutlet crowned by the persistent calyx teeth. The whole plant is slender and sprawls across the ground, often rooting as it goes, and completes its life cycle within a single season. It grows in cultivated fields, gardens, lawns, and bare disturbed soil, frequently on chalk and lime-rich ground. Plants are shallow-rooted and easily pulled, but reseed quickly in open soil. Foliage and stems are rough to the touch from tiny down-pointing prickles.
Native Range
Native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Widely naturalized elsewhere, including North America and Australia. Grows in arable fields, gardens, lawns, and open disturbed ground, often on chalky or lime-rich soils.Suggested Uses
Rarely cultivated and usually treated as a weed of fields, gardens, and lawns. Occasionally appears in wildflower seed mixes and informal grassland on lime-rich soils. Its sprawling habit and self-seeding make it unsuited to formal beds and maintained turf.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 1'4"
Width/Spread4" - 1'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pale lilac to pinkFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 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
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Drought Tolerance
Drought tolerant when established
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to light shade in well-drained soil, tolerating poor, chalky, and disturbed ground. Needs no supplemental water once established and completes growth on natural rainfall. As an annual weed of cultivation, it establishes from seed in open soil and can be removed by shallow hoeing or hand-pulling because of its weak root system. Plants set seed quickly, so removal before the seed ripens limits the following seasons seedlings. No pests or diseases are of concern. It rarely persists in dense, closed turf or heavily shaded ground.Pruning
No pruning is needed for this low annual. Removing or hoeing plants before the seed ripens reduces self-seeding into surrounding soil. Plants die after setting seed at the end of the season.✓ Toxicity
Non-toxicPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Plant Spacing
6 inches