Flowers of the two plants are similar, but leaves of mouse-ear chickweed are dark green and hairy. Common chickweed is a winter annual. Winter annuals germinate in the late summer or fall, overwinter as small plants, then put on growth during the cool months of the spring. Most winter annuals cannot withstand hot weather, and will set seed and die in June or July. Common chickweed generally follows this pattern, but will sometimes also be seen to germinate through the spring and early summer, and plants can occasionally survive the summer in shaded areas.
Winter annuals are a particular problem for strawberry growers.
In strawberries, the lack of tillage at these times and winter protection with mulch allows these weeds to survive and thrive. Renovation does not affect these weeds, as they have generally produced seeds by July. Both common and mouse-ear chickweed are in the Caryophyllaceae, or 'pink' family. Well-known plants in this family include garden flowers such as carnations, Dianthus and Maltese cross. Other weeds in this family include mouse-ear chickweed, white cockle, and knawel.