Jon Hawkins, Surrey Hills Photography
©Jim Higham
©Philip Precey
Greater stitchwort
Scientific name: Stellaria holostea
Star-of-Bethlehem' and 'wedding cakes' are just some of the other names for greater stitchwort. Look for its pretty, star-shaped, white flowers in woodlands and along hedgerows and roadside verges.
Species information
Statistics
Height: up to 50cmConservation status
Common.
When to see
April to JuneAbout
Greater stitchwort grows in woodland and along roadside verges, hedgerows and grassy banks. It has many other common names, including 'wedding cakes', 'Star-of-Bethlehem', 'daddy's-shirt-buttons' and 'snapdragon' - the latter because its stems are brittle and easily break. Its pretty, star-shaped, white flowers bloom from April to June; as the seed capsules ripen, they can be heard 'popping' in late spring.How to identify
Greater stitchwort has five white petals, each deeply notched and almost divided into two. Its green leaves are grass-like in appearance and its brittle stems are square. Greater stitchwort has larger flowers (2-3cm across) than its relative, Lesser stitchwort (0.5-1cm across).Distribution
Widespread.Did you know?
Greater stitchwort is visited by bees, butterflies and hoverflies looking for spring nectar, and is the foodplant of the marsh pug, plain clary and yellow underwing moths.The Wildlife Trusts manage many woodland nature reserves sympathetically for the benefit of all kinds of wildlife. A mix of coppicing, scrub-cutting, ride maintenance and non-intervention all help woodland wildlife to thrive.