Pollinator plant

Common cow-wheat

Melampyrum pratense

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Common names

26 names · 23 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (22)
Dutch
French
Belarusian
  • Братаўка лугавая, ці Жаруха[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 草原山罗花[2]
Czech
  • černýš luční[2]
Danish
  • Almindelig kohvede[2]
Esperanto
  • Herbeja melampiro[2]
Estonian
  • palu-härghein[2]
Finnish
  • kangasmaitikka[2]
  • vaaleakangasmaitikka[2]
German
Hungarian
  • réti csormolya[2]
Italian
Latvian
  • Pļavas nārbulis[2]
Lithuanian
  • Pievinis kūpolis[2]
Norwegian
  • stormarimjelle[2]
Polish
  • Pszeniec zwyczajny[2]
Russian
  • Марьянник луговой[2]
Slovak
  • čermeľ lúčny[2]
Slovenian
  • navadni črnilec[2]
Swedish
  • vanlig ängskovall[2]
  • Ängskovall[2]
Ukrainian
  • Перестріч лучний[2]
Welsh
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Melampyrum pratense — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Common Cow-wheat — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Wiesen-Wachtelweizen — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Mélampyre des prés — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Spigarola bianca — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Hengel — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
[2] Melampyrum pratense — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Common Cow-wheat — results[24].names[1]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Wiesen-Wachtelweizen — results[24].names[2]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Mélampyre des prés — results[24].names[4]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Spigarola bianca — results[24].names[13]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Hengel — results[24].names[11]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • kangasmaitikka — results[24].names[3]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Almindelig kohvede — results[24].names[5]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Ängskovall — results[24].names[6]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Марьянник луговой — results[24].names[7]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • černýš luční — results[24].names[8]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • palu-härghein — results[24].names[9]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • stormarimjelle — results[24].names[10]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Pszeniec zwyczajny — results[24].names[12]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Pievinis kūpolis — results[24].names[14]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Herbeja melampiro — results[24].names[15]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • vaaleakangasmaitikka — results[24].names[16]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • vanlig ängskovall — results[24].names[17]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Перестріч лучний — results[24].names[18]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Братаўка лугавая, ці Жаруха — results[24].names[19]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • navadni črnilec — results[24].names[20]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • réti csormolya — results[24].names[21]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Pļavas nārbulis — results[24].names[22]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • čermeľ lúčny — results[24].names[23]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • Gliniogai — results[24].names[24]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
  • 草原山罗花 — results[24].names[25]; taxon id 60076; Melampyrum pratense.
[3] Melampyrum pratense — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Cow Wheat — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Melampyrum pratense.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Melampyrum pratense is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Orobanchaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Plant habit
Dense; Spreading

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Annual

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Europe to Central Siberia

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Common cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from May to August.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Melampyrum pratense — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 621526; ID 3Z5D4; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 621526; ID 3Z5D4; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Melampyrum pratense — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Plant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative rangeReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .