How to Grow and Care for Sandworts

Bluntleaf sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora) is a perennial herb that spreads through underground rhizomes. This species is indigenous to parts of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Moss umbilicals are perennial, lively green plants and reach stature heights of 5 to 20 centimeters. They form loose lawns. Their stems are thin and sparsely branched. The leaves are narrow lineal, 0.5 to 1.2 mm wide, 1 to 3 cm long and have a short spiky point. The white flowers are always vierzählig and stand in loose, less-flowered cymes.

They are delicate, annual to biennial herbaceous plants, which usually reach heights of growth of 10 to 20 cm. Their short hairy stems are branched from the bottom and ascending. The best determining feature in the field are the egg-shaped, front-pointed leaves, which have almost always three, sometimes five distinct leafy nerves.

Creeping sandwort is a petite, herbaceous perennial often found in shaded, moist woodland areas. Its delicate stems are notable for their fringe of fine hairs, and it stands out in spring with small, star-shaped white flowers. Foliage typically consists of lance-shaped leaves, which together with its habitat preference, offer clues to its identification and ecological niche as an unassuming yet resilient ground-cover plant.

Largeleaf sandwort is a hardy perennial herb distinguished by its large, ovate leaves that cascade in a lush rosette form. This shade-loving plant thrives under the canopy of forests, where its white, star-shaped flowers emerge in spring, attracting pollinators. The broad leaves of largeleaf sandwort help it absorb sunlight in low-light environments, contributing to its understory niche.