It is typically an annual plant.

Does it spread easily?

Yes, it produces seeds that germinate readily in open soil.

Plant guide

Field madder.

Sherardia arvensis

Pronounced sheh-RAR-dee-uh ar-VEN-sis

Also known as Blue Field-madder, Blue Fieldmadder, Field Madder, Herb-sherard

Field madder is a charming little annual that often pops up in fields and gardens as a weed. It features delicate, star shaped whorls of leaves and tiny, pale pink or lilac flowers. You will find it thrives in disturbed soil and open, sunny spots.

Another photo of Field madder — Photo by Douglas Goldman (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual herb
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 15 cm
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 5 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

This plant is quite resilient and usually takes care of itself in its natural habitat. Keep an eye on soil moisture to ensure it does not dry out completely during germination. If you are growing it intentionally, just make sure it has plenty of space to spread.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged while the plant is establishing.
Feeding: This plant generally does not require supplemental fertilizer when grown in garden soil.
Pruning: Deadhead spent flowers if you want to prevent it from spreading seeds throughout your garden.
Repotting: As an annual, this plant completes its life cycle in one season and does not require repotting.
Soil: Well draining sandy or loamy soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperature: -15 to 30°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Annual, typically 1 year
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Safety

People: There are no reports of significant toxicity to humans.
Children: The small size and delicate nature of this plant make it unlikely to pose a choking hazard, but ingestion should be avoided.
Edibility: This plant is not considered edible and should be avoided.

How to identify it

Square stems with rough edges
Whorls of six narrow leaves
Tiny pale pink or lilac flowers
Small fruit with persistent calyx teeth

Height: 0.05 to 0.2m
Spread: 0.1 to 0.3m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: pink, lilac, 0.2 to 0.4cm
Fruit: brown, late summer

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Slugs and SnailsCommon
Powdery MildewUncommon
RustUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: As an annual, the plant completes its life cycle in one season and does not require special winter care.
In containers: It grows well in shallow containers but is best suited for open ground.

Seed

1. Collect seeds in late summer.
2. Sow directly into prepared soil in autumn or spring.
3. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination.

Plant this in areas where you want a low growing carpet to suppress other opportunistic weeds.

Grows well with

Corn Poppy · They share similar requirements for disturbed, sunny soil.
Cornflower · They make excellent companions in a traditional wildflower meadow.

Similar species

Cleavers · They are related and share a similar leaf structure.

Science

Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Sherardia
Order: Gentianales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa.
Conservation: It is a common weed and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in open, sunny, and disturbed habitats where competition from taller plants is low.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ground cover, wildflower meadow filler

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 4/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is it a perennial?: It is typically an annual plant.
Does it spread easily?: Yes, it produces seeds that germinate readily in open soil.

Where the name comes from

The genus honors the English botanist William Sherard, while the species name arvensis refers to its tendency to grow in fields.

Good to know

It is commonly known as field madder.
The plant often grows in disturbed soils.
It has a sprawling habit that creates a nice mat.

Keep your field madder growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.