Dwarf Clearweed

Pilea pumila

Summary 2

Pilea pumila, known as clearweed, Canadian clearweed, coolwort, or richweed is an annual plant native to most of North America east of the Rockies. The plants are generally erect, 10 to 70 cm tall, often occurring in large colonies, and are quite common throughout their range both as a woodland plant and a weed of gardens.

Description 3

Family:
Urticaceae (Nettle)

Height:
4 to 20 inches

Leaves:
Egg-shaped leaves are oppositely arranged on stem and have toothed edges. Leaf surface has three distinct veins.

Flower:
Pale green to yellow flowers are small and form racemes form from axils in upper leaves.

Bloom time:
July-September

Nicknames:
Canadian Clearweed

Habitat:
Woods, wetlands

Wildlife Benefits:
Foliage is attractive to some caterpillars.

Can I plant this in my garden?
Not typically planted in gardens.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/dwarf-clearweed
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/clearweed.htm

Range 3

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
  2. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilea_pumila
  3. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Family Urticaceae
Habit Forb
Life cycle annual
Origin native
Bloom time (7) July, (8) August, (9) September
*sites Gervais Mill Pond, Lake Phalen, Snail Lake