I'd Like to Know What This Weed Is?

[OldGuy43]

I don't necessarily want to get rid of it. The cluckers love it.

It's really dark green in color. It grows very prolifically along side my house where it is shaded most of the day and is probably the wettest. It must be a weed. No matter what I do to it it keeps coming back. It does not spread into the dryer, sunnier parts of my lawn. It also seems to grow year around and is very drought tolerant. It grows very thick as you can see and doesn't get more than about 4" tall. It's really rather pretty.

Thanks,

 

[Wisher1000]

I don't know what it is, but you're right, it is pretty. I have several weeds that I tolerate because they look nice. Come to think of it, I don't know their names, either.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

could you pick one of the stems and get a pic of it? i'm trying to figure out if it could be some sort of mint relative. does it appear to have a square stem? or any smell to it?

 

[OldGuy43]

Thanks for the response. No smell that I've noticed. I'll get a picture of the stem tomorrow.

 

[digitS']

Just a guess from a couple thousand miles away:

Straggler daisy?

The pictures kind of look like there may be those little yellow flowers . . .

Here is some more information from the USDA about this plant:

Calyptocarpus vialis

Steve

 

[OldGuy43]

Thank you for the guess, but no flowers.

 

[hoodat]

I think you almost named it right yourself. It looks like chickweed to me. It's aptly nmaed since, as you say, chickens love it.

 

[vfem]

I was just going to say it looks like chickweed to me too, then again... most weeds like like chickweed or chockweed to me! HAHAHAHA

A weed's a weed until I like where it is, or the chickens decide its a nice treat... then its useful!

 

[digitS']

. . . no flowers.

If it is chickweed, it will have white flowers and lots of them at some times during the year.

The plant itself will be quite fragile, tender - that's one of the reasons a chick might like it. The roots will be fine and in something of a mat beneath the plant.

Steve

ETA: Here is a photo of the most common type of chickweed in the US, showing the flowers, mouse ear chickweed (click).

Here is one somewhat unique to Texas, short-stalk chickweed.

 

[StupidBird]

Chickweed is good for people too. Raw or as cooked greens. I like it.