A tonic that cools and softens
Common names: Mouse-Ear Chickweed,, Sticky Chickweed, Clustered Ear Chickweed, Cang Ear Grass, Mao Niu Fan Lou, Musakane.
Taxonomic name: Cerastium fontanum. C. glomeratum
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Related herbs: Chickweed, Carnations, Dianthus, Soapwort, Baby’s-breath
Area of origin: Eurasia and North Africa
Parts used: arerial parts, roots
Has been used medicinally for: Abscesses, skin rashes, eczema, bites, sores, cuts. Fluid retention, UTIs, dysuria, softening lymphatic swellings (particularly with inflammation), intractable itching. Headaches, nosebleeds.
Healing Actions: Refrigerant, demulcent, astringent, nutritive, diuretic, alterative, anti-inflammatory, tonic, softening, anti-microbial.
TCM: Clears Heat and removes toxicity. Promotes diuresis and unblocks Dampness. Cools the Lower Burner. Soothes itching and softens hardness
Taste: Slightly sweet, mildly bitter, bland
Tissue states: Heat, excitation, dampness
Energetics: Cooling, moisture-replenishing
Organ/System affinities: Liver, Kidneys, Bladder, Skin, Lungs, Lymphatic system.
Healing constituents: Saponins, flavonoids (flavone C-glycosides inc. vitexin, orientin), minerals (calcium, silica, potassium), phenolic acids, mucilage
Contraindications and warnings: Possibly contraindicated with diuretics. Heart conditions with fluid retention
Drug/herb interactions: Possibly contraindicated with diuretics and heart medications.
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Description
An annual herb with a low, spreading form, that thrives lives in the same cooler, moister conditions that Chickweed loves but tolerates dryness much better. In fact, Mouse-ear Chickweed persists long after the Stellaria had dried and gone.
It is annual herb growing 10-35 cm tall with stems that simple or branched, erect to rising, with hairs often concentrated on one side. The plant features densely hairy, oval leaves resembling tiny mouse ears. These leaves are opposite and clasp the stem. Small, five-petaled white flowers have petals that are notched cleft to look like ten petals. The sepals often have a purple tinge In the pics below you can see a comparison between the depth of the lobes on both Chickweed and Mouse-ear Chickweed, on which the lobes are not as deep.
Unlike common Chickweed (Stellaria media), Mouse-ear Chickweed is covered in fine, sticky, glandular hairs (trichomes) that cover its leaves and stems, giving it a distinctive texture and mechanical protective layer. They trap moisture and form a physical barrier against desiccation in harsh, gravelly soils.
Healing uses for Mouse-ear Chickweed
Keywords – Cooling, nutritive
Cerastium can be used in a similar manner to Stellaria to cool and soothe. It works well but given the choice, take Stellaria every time. Any time cooling and soothing is needed, it can be reached for and used.
It is also a reasonable nutritive and has been used in Spring tonics and meals (cooking reduces the irritating hairs). Mouse-ear Chickweed contains a goodly amount of minerals, so can help with skeletal issues. Spring tonics frequently include mineral rich herbs (such as Nettles) which are are usually reasonable diuretics (the sodium/potassium balance is what keeps the balance of moisture in our body) as well. Diuretics are generally beneficial to the kidneys and help them eliminate some of the waste materials they filter and remove from blood.
A high mineral content is also frequently found in herbs that soften hardened lumps and swellings (‘indurations’ in technical-speak), so it is natural to see this property in Mouse – ear Chickweed. Minerals, mucilage and tannins, combine to make it a softening herb.
Preparing and using Mouse Ear Chickweed
Synergies and combinations: Cerasteum combines well with many other Spring herbs that go into all kinds of tonic and nutritive brews. Nettles, Common Groundsel, Chickweed, Dandelion, Catsear, Cleavers, Sow Thistle – all combine well with this herb and can usually be found growing together in the same place.
Combine it with other softening herbs such as Chickweed (Stellaria) or Cleavers.
Use it with other diuretic herbs for fluid retention and kidney/urinary tract support and stones. Most of the Spring tonic herbs mentioned above can help here.
Tea/Infusion – Infused whole-herb teas were traditionally consumed as a tonic in early spring as a mineralising alterative to support lymphatic drainage and kidney filtration.
Fresh poultice – Historically, fresh crushed aerial parts were used as a bioabsorbent field poultice for insect stings, venomous bites, and abrasive stings, where the natural saponins and mucilage drew out irritants while cooling surrounding tissue. Aerial parts crushed with a little cold water can be applied to skin irritations, bites and stings.
Juice from the crushed herb has been applied to the forehead to relieve headaches. It has been dropped into nostrils to stop nosebleeds.
Herb infused oil or salve – as a soothing base for salves for eczema and such.
Cooking – While edible, the dense hairs give fresh leaves a fuzzy texture that can be unpleasant raw but cooking (steaming or sautéing) breaks down the hairs, turning the plant into a mineral-rich spring greens substitute.
Other herb pages on Ligaya Garden
We cover a lot of ground on many herb related topics here on our website. There are whole pages devoted to different topics as well as frequent posts. Some of the links are –
