You may think chickweed is a pest in your garden, but it's actually free food. Although some master gardeners recommend using an herbicide to control it, organic methods are safer for you and your loved ones. Pull chickweed by hand or add a mulch of grass clippings or straw to the area. Common names for chickweed include starweed, winterweed, satin flower and tongue grass.
Types
Types of chickweed include field, mouse ear and sticky chickweed. The most obvious visible difference between these species and common chickweed is, the other species are hairy all over--as opposed to common chickweed, which just has hair on and close to the stem.
Characteristics
The main stem of chickweed runs prostrate with the ground. Common chickweed, Stellaria media, has oppositely arranged oval leaves that vary in length between 1/2 inch to 1.25 inches. These light green leaves reach for the sky on secondary stems that grow from 4 inches to 12 inches high. Chickweed sprouts singularly or grows with other plants to create an entangled mat. It does well in cool conditions in rich, moist soil. You can find it in most parts of the United States and around the world in fields, gardens, lawns and landscapes.
Flowers
Chickweed produces small white flowers with five deeply lobed petals. The deep lobes give chickweed flowers the appearance of having 10 petals. Flowers blossom year round, except in the middle of winter, in small clusters or singly at the top of the plant. They close at night and reopen in the morning. When the flowers senesce, they form small fruits that produce tiny seeds. The Spokane County Extension says each chickweed plant can produce up to 15,000 seeds.
Edible
Most people consider chickweed as an invasive plant, but you can eat it if you haven't treated it with an herbicide. The leaves, stems and flowers of chickweed are edible. You can snip them with a scissors and use chickweed as you would greens, or dry it for later use. Salads, soups and sandwiches taste great with the mild, fresh flavor of chickweed. Too much chickweed may cause loose stools.
Folk Medicine
This common weed has a history of medicinal use internally and externally, according to information gathered by the Spokane County Extension. Chickweed was prepared as a tea to expectorate phlegm, treat bronchitis and relieve mild constipation. Externally, it's used to treat minor skin irritation and infections.
