Origin:
Native to the western United States and occurring from southern California to British Columbia.
Biology:
A cool season annual with round, fleshy leaves. Plants strongly prefer shaded, moist conditions, and will desiccate with the onset of warm, dry weather. Common in wooded areas and under oak trees. Reproduction is from seeds, with seedlings germinating in late fall and early winter. Foliage contains nitrates that may be slightly toxic to some animals if consumed in sufficient quantity.
Identification:
Sprawling plants with long, thin, fleshy, weak stems that may grow to over 12 inches long. Stems are pink at the base and tending toward green at their outer length. Leaves are very thick and fleshy, with seedling leaves being more spade shaped and on stalks. The leaves on mature plants are of two forms – lower leaves retain the spade-shape and stalks, but leaves forming on the stems are round, and the bases unite to form a circle or disk around the stem, giving the appearance that the stem is rising from the leaf. Flowers are small and white and occur in loose clusters at the ends of the elongating stems, well above the leaves.
Characteristicts Important to Control:
An annual weed that does not tolerate heat or drought. It is not common in landscape but can be easily hand removed if it occurs.
