Trailing Pearlwort is a spreading, moss-like, cool-season annual in the carnation family. The plant matures at 6 inches high with a rosette of bright green leaves that wrap around the stems. The stems form a mat and sprawl across the ground and terminate in individual or small cymes of white flowers. Trailing Pearlwort prefers cool, moist conditions in light shade to full sun and rocky or sandy soil. Most vegetative growth occurs during the spring while the weather is moist and cool. This plant can survive a limited amount of foot traffic, but the less traffic the better. The root system consists of a slender taproot that is shallow and divides frequently into secondary roots. This plant spreads by reseeding itself and it often forms small colonies of plants with a mossy appearance. Trailing Pearlwort is generally seen near walkways. There are selections and related species sold in the garden trade for rock gardens or vegetation between pavers. This species of Sagina is nearly identical to S. procumbens . Both have thin, awn-like leaves that are 1/2 to 1 inch in length, can form dense mats and, until recently, all Pearlworts were lumped together as S. decumbens . But there are at least 4 Sagina spp. divided into 2 groups: those with 5 sepals and those with 4 sepals. Only S. procumbens and S. apetala have flowers with 4 sepals. A prolific seed producer, seeds are borne in cup-like pods and spread quickly. Trailing Pearlwort can be quite weedy and if plants are undesired, do not let them go to seed. Management strategies include improving drainage in areas where the plant might persist. Trailing Pearlwort is well managed by pre-emergent herbicides. Be sure to check the label for use of the herbicide. Diseses, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests. The plant, itself, can easily spread and quickly become a weedy invasive.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Thin leaves, 1/2 to 1 inch in length, that can form dense mats. Pairs of leaves occur at intervals along the stems. Each pair merges together and wraps around the stem, which is slightly swollen where each pair of leaves occurs.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Wheel
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Stems terminate in individual flowers or small cymes in spring and early summer. Each flower is ¼ of an inch across when fully open, consisting of 4 white petals and 4 stamens. The petals are short, narrow, and often missing or poorly developed. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
White
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The ovoid seed capsule is white and membranous with 4 blunt teeth along its upper rim. Each capsule contains several dark tiny seeds that can be blown about by the wind. The surface of each seed is minutely pebbly.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
One or more stems develop from a rosette of leaves. These stems are bright green, glabrous, and tend to sprawl across other stems or the ground.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Aleutian Islands, Canada, Central United States and Mexico
Distribution
Eastern United States from New England to Florida.