Stellaria media

Stellaria media, chickweed, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world, where it is a weed of waste ground, farmland and gardens. It is sometimes grown as a salad crop or for poultry consumption.

Description

An annual herb. It lies along the ground. It has lax slender stems. There is a single line of white hairs which run up the stems until they reach a joint. The stems are round in cross section. The leaves occur opposite. The lower leaves have stalks. The upper leaves do not have stalks. Leaves are oval and taper to a short point. The leaves are 1-3 cm long and 5-10 mm wide. Leaves are pale underneath. The flowers are purple in a flat topped arrangement with central flowers opening first. The fruit is an oval capsule. The seeds are red-brown.

Edible Uses

Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb and may be available year-round in mild winters. Very nutritious, they make a good addition to salads, and when cooked are scarcely distinguishable from spring spinach. The leaves contain saponins, so some caution is advised. A nutritional analysis is available: per 100g dry weight — Protein: 14.5g, Fat: 2.4g, Carbohydrate: 63.9g, Fibre: 20.5g, Ash: 19.3g, Vitamin A: 30mg, Thiamine (B1): 0.02mg, Riboflavin (B2): 0.14mg, Niacin: 0.51mg, Vitamin C: 375mg. Seeds can be ground into a powder for use in bread or as a soup thickener, though harvesting any quantity is fiddly as they are very small and produced in small amounts throughout much of the year. The seed contains 17.8% protein and 5.9% fat. Stellaria media is one of the ingredients of the symbolic dish eaten at the Japanese spring festival Nanakusa-no-sekku.

Traditional Uses

The tender shoots and leaves are cooked as a vegetable. They are chopped, boiled and then fried. They are used in soup. They can also be used in salads. They are also squeezed into juice. The small seeds are used for bread or to thicken soups. Flowering tops are used as a vegetable or garnish. CAUTION: In large amounts it can cause paralysis. This is due to toxic nitrates.

Medicinal Uses

Chickweed has a long history of herbal use, particularly valued for the external treatment of itching skin conditions, and has been known to soothe severe itchiness where other remedies have failed. In excess doses it can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. It should not be used medicinally by pregnant women. The whole plant is astringent, carminative, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, refrigerant, and vulnerary. Taken internally in small quantities it aids digestion and is useful in treating chest complaints. Applied as a poultice it relieves roseola and is effective where superficial veins are fragile. An infusion of fresh or dried herb added to bathwater reduces inflammation — for example in rheumatic joints — and encourages tissue repair. The plant is best harvested between May and July and can be used fresh or dried for later use. A decoction of the whole plant is taken internally as a post-partum depurative, emmenagogue, galactogogue, and circulatory tonic, and is also believed to relieve constipation and benefit kidney complaints. Used externally, the decoction treats rheumatic pains, wounds, and ulcers. The expressed juice has been used as an eyewash.

Known Hazards

Chickweed contains plant chemicals known as saponins, which can be toxic to some species (notably fish). It is unlikely that most land animals will be affected, as the quantities involved are not large. However, it is not advised during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Distribution

It grows in temperate places. In Nepal it grows between 1800-2700 m altitude. It grows in rich, moist soils and woody areas. It grows in wetlands. It is cold tolerant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 3,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zone 4. Tasmania Herbarium. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Alaska, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Crete, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Eswatini, Europe, Falklands, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macquarie Island, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Norway, Pacific, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Sicily, Sikkim, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay, USA, West Indies, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. It can be grown from root transplant.

Propagation

This species rarely needs encouragement — you are far more likely to be trying to remove it than establish it. Eating it is one effective method of control.

Other Uses

Functions as a dynamic accumulator, gathering minerals and nutrients from the soil and storing them in a more bioavailable form for use as fertilizer or mulch. Eaten by chickens, wild birds, and mountain sheep. Serves as a food plant for caterpillars of many butterfly species. Suitable for cut flowers and dried flower arrangements. Farmers in Scandinavia encourage its growth as ground cover, believing it improves fruit quality and yield. Also used for erosion control and dune stabilization.

Production

Young seedlings can be cut with scissors then left to regrow.

Other Information

Shoots are sold in markets in India. It is also foraged and supplied to restaurants in Sweden. It is sold in local markets in Armenia.

Notes

There are about 130 Stellaria species. They are mostly in temperate regions. It is high in Vitamin E. Because it contains saponins it should not be eaten in large quantities.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Alsine, Arapsaci, Armale jhar, Badsha saba, Bin batorhi, Bodzodzua, Bots'va, Buchbucha, Burumcek, Byeolkkot, Caa piqui, Capiqui, Centocchiu, Centogghje, Chang-kal-rit, Charchara, Cheeri pta, Chitti booti, Dzialua, Eerchang, Fan lu, Galambbegy, Gaqazila, Giysak, Kangni booti, Kazayagi, Khojua, Khokhua, Kidendelezi, Koku, Korpafu, Koukoon, Kulumcak, Kusemegi, Kusotu, Laadroon, Lapchatka, Makritsa, Makryca, Maralia, Marmuri shak, Mokritsa, Morolia, Murmoori, Nabiki, Nick hakh, Ojo de gringo, Olalai, Osi neri, Pajarera, Pamplina, Pani, Phoolan cheeri, Pticija trava, Safed pulchee, Satinflower, Scarwort, Siadi, Stalli, Starwort, Stergeo, Stitchwort, Tchrtchuk, Thatheni, Tyukhur, Urgancik, Vassarve, Vilaghori, Virza, Vogelmuur, Warghastalay, Yerum-keirum, Zhuruk'i

References (143)

• Agarwal, R. & Chandra, V., 2019, Diversity of wild edible plants in the Mandal-Chopta forest, Uttarakhand. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2019; 7(1): 89-92
• Aipeisova S.A., et al, 2019, Wild useful herbs of Aktobe Region (Western Kazakhstan). Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 9(3), 329-331
• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 948
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 598
• Ara, R. I. T., 2015, Leafy Vegetables in Bangladesh. Photon eBooks. p 41

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