Latin Name: Spergula Arvensis
Common Name: Corn Spurry
Other Names: Stickwort, starwort, spurrey
Pest Details
Origin:
Introduced from Europe, and naturalized throughout the western United States, somewhat in the eastern part of the country.
Biology:
An annual reproducing from seeds. Common in many landscape and waste area settings.
Identification:
Mature plants have numerous long branches coming from the base and growing up to 2 feet long, with shorter branches often coming off of these. Stems are somewhat sticky, and are strong enough to support their erect growth. Leaves are narrow and fleshy, growing as whorls of more than a dozen leaves at the stem nodes. Leaves may be over 1 inch long. The white flowers have 5 broad petals and may be ¼ inch across, in very loose clusters forming at the ends of the stems.
Characteristicts Important to Control:
An annual reproducing from seeds, and tolerant of dry, open areas.
