Identifying Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Take great care when identifying wild plants and fungi, this blog is not a resource to be taken by itself and further resources will be linked. Consult other sources and double check. While foraging is an extremely rewarding and useful skill, numerous common plants and fungi can make you sick or kill you. Be absolutely sure of what you’re eating and, when gathering, ensure you leave enough not only to ensure the survival and growth of the species but also enough for others to enjoy, from the human and more-than-human communities. Also cultivate an awareness of contamination and pollution – wastewater runoff, spraying, exhaust fumes – as this should affect your decision to harvest.

The Plant

Stellaria media is a annual edible “weed” from the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia but has spread prolifically throughout the world and can be found in gardens, pastures, lawns, and parks all over New Zealand. Chickweed does well in shady, moist environments and grows as a ground cover. The word Stellaria is derived from the word ‘stellar’ meaning ‘star’, referring to it’s star-like flowers, whilst media means ‘between’ or ‘mid-sized’. The common name of ‘chickweed’ is due to the fact it has been used as chicken feed and is much loved by chickens, rabbits, and other birds.

Description

Chickweed is an annual weed but can sometimes be a perennial weed in warmer climates. The stems of this plant are weak and thin and can grow up to 40cm long, growing prostrate along the ground forming a sprawling mat. Stellaria media stems have one line of fine hairs running along it. The leaves are a light green and are an oval shape with a slight point which grow in opposite pairs along the stem. Chickweed has tiny white flowers, about 0.5-1cm, with five deeply lobed petals which gives the appearance of it having ten petals. The orange chickweed seeds are held in small green egg-shaped capsules which occur simultaneously with flowering during spring.

Ecology

I have been fortunate to come across Stellaria media all over the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It will generally crop up in most vegetable gardens, in parks, pastures, and along walkways. It prefers shade and moisture and germinates best in autumn and winter. Chickweed is frost hardy but does not handle drought well and so will often die during the summer months but is available to harvest almost all year round.

Nutritional/Medicinal Information

Chickweed is high in a number of nutrients (comparable to spinach) such as; vitamins A, B complex, C, D, iron, zinc, potassium, and silica. The saponins in chickweed increase the permeability of mucous membranes in the intestines which helps to increase absorption rates of nutrients. A salve, cream, or oil made from Stellaria media has been used for years to treat many skin conditions, including itchiness, wounds, acne, and ulcers. Chickweed tea can be used as an eyewash for conjunctivitis and hot chickweed baths have traditionally been used to treat inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, sore muscles, and menstrual cramps.

Possible Lookalikes

Other plants in the Stellaria family look similar to common chickweed but chickweed is easily distinguished by the one line of hair running along the stem. The rest of the Stellaria’s are hairy all over.

Milkweed (Euphorbia peplus) could maybe be confused for chickweed but grows more upright and has a milky sap which comes out when the stem is broken. Do not eat milkweed as this sap can burn.

Scrambling Speedwell (Veronica persica) is another sprawling weed but has hairy leaves and stems and blue flowers.

Interesting Facts

Chickweed is traditionally used as an ingredient in the seven-herb rice porridge which is eaten during the Japanese spring festival of Nanakusa-no-sekku.

Chickweed seeds have been found in Neolithic burial sites.

Storage & Cooking

Chickweed is best harvested and eaten fresh and picked when young, otherwise it can become a bit stringy. It can be eaten raw, cooked into meals, or steeped as a tea. It doesn’t store well in the fridge.

Stellaria media is versatile and delicious eaten fresh in sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and salads, or cooked into soups, pastas, or curries as a spinach substitute. Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Further Reading

Herb Federation of New Zealand

Wild Abundance