Chickweed
Stellaria media
Chickweed is a low, sprawling annual often dismissed as a lawn weed, yet its tender leaves are a mild, edible green and a traditional soothing herb. Tiny white star-shaped flowers give it the name starwort.
- Light
- Part shade to full sun
- Water
- Likes moist, cool soil
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a low-growing annual herb in the pink family (Caryophyllaceae) found almost worldwide in cool, moist, disturbed ground.
Often treated as a weed of gardens, lawns and cultivated fields, it is in fact a nutritious wild edible with a mild, slightly grassy, corn-silk-like flavor, and a long history as a gentle folk remedy for skin irritation.
It grows fast in cool weather, frequently green through mild winters, earning the alternate name "winterweed."
How to identify it
- Flowers: tiny white blooms (about 5 mm) with five petals so deeply notched they look like ten, giving a star-like shape
- Leaves: small, oval, pointed, smooth, in opposite pairs
- Stems: weak, sprawling, with a single line of fine hairs running along one side (a key identification clue)
- Habit: mat-forming annual rooting at the nodes, usually under 30 cm
- Test: the stretchy inner cord visible when a stem is gently pulled apart helps confirm true chickweed
Care & growing
Light: Partial shade to full sun; prefers cooler, sheltered spots.
Water: Thrives in moist, cool soil and tends to fade in summer heat and drought.
Soil: Rich, moist, fertile soil; common in cultivated and disturbed ground.
Temperature: A cool-season grower that germinates in autumn or early spring and can stay green over mild winters.
Feeding: None needed; it grows readily in fertile soil.
Propagation: Self-seeds prolifically; simply scatter seed in cool weather. It often appears uninvited.
Habitat & origin
Originally native to Europe, chickweed has naturalized across nearly every temperate and many subtropical regions of the world.
It favors moist, fertile, disturbed habitats: vegetable gardens, lawns, field margins, waste ground and shaded damp corners, where it forms quick-spreading mats during cool seasons.
Uses & benefits
Culinary: The tender stems and leaves are an edible wild green, eaten raw in salads or lightly cooked; flavor is mild, like a cross between lettuce and corn silk.
Medicinal: Traditionally used externally in salves and poultices to soothe itchy, irritated or minor inflamed skin.
Ecological: Provides early forage and seed for birds (hence "chickweed") and small wildlife, and ground cover for beneficial insects.
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat chickweed?
Yes, common chickweed is a mild, nutritious edible green eaten raw or cooked. Be sure of your identification and eat it in moderation.
How do I tell chickweed from look-alikes?
Look for the single line of fine hairs running along one side of the stem, deeply notched white star-shaped flowers, and a stretchy inner cord when the stem is pulled apart.
Why does chickweed appear in winter?
It is a cool-season annual that germinates in autumn and early spring and can stay green through mild winters, which is why it is sometimes called winterweed.
Is chickweed bad for my garden?
It is usually harmless and easy to pull, and many gardeners eat it or use it as a soft living mulch rather than treating it as a problem weed.
Chickweed guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Chickweed.
