Gnaphalium uliginosum aka Marsh Cudweed

Gnaphalium uliginosum, or marsh cudweed, belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae. Other names include mouse ear and edafeddog y gors. It is native across temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The RHS confirms that Britain and Ireland form part of its native range. Records also cover parts of Asia and North America. Its broad range includes places with a temperate climate.

This small plant reaches about 0.7 feet [0.2 metres] tall. Its spread is also about 0.7 feet [0.2 metres]. Plants for a Future describes it as an annual. Kew records an annual or biennial life cycle. Its low size gives it little height in a planted bed. The supplied sources give no further details about its leaves or stems.

Marsh cudweed flowers from July to August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers. The sources do not describe the flower colour or fruit. Growers can raise the plant from seed sown in late spring. Sow it where it will grow, with only a thin soil covering. This avoids adding a separate planting stage to the stated sowing method.

Choose full sun or partial shade, with moist to wet soil. Plants for a Future favours light, acid soil for cultivation. It also lists sandy and loamy soils as suitable. The soil should drain well while retaining the moisture this plant needs. It tolerates very acid soil, neutral soil, and mildly alkaline soil. Wild habitats include damp sandy fields, heaths, and roadside ground. These records link the plant with damp sites, often on acid soil. Cultivated beds are another listed setting. The evidence gives no hardiness rating or specific pest and disease guidance.

Plants for a Future lists no known food uses. It also reports no known hazards, but that does not establish safety. The whole plant can yield yellow and green dyes. Herbal records describe uses for throat and upper airway complaints. They also record use for high blood pressure in Russia. The plant has had little use in modern herbal practice. Herbalists harvest it during flowering and dry it for later use. These are reports of traditional use, not proof of benefit. The evidence does not support treating it as an edible crop.