| Description |
Common Chickweed is an annual cool weather plant that often grows as a wild, edible weed. The plant has weak, slender stems that intertwine as they grow to form large mats of foliage. Leaves are oval and flowers are small, white, and star-shaped. It can be used for poultry feed, as a ground cover, and a companion plant (it decreases insect damage to other plants). It is high in fiber and nutrients and can be used an alternative to spinach in salads, sandwiches, soups, and stews. It has a history of medicinal use for pain relief, intestinal support, and skin conditions like acne, eczema, cuts, rashes, and insect bites. It is anti-inflammatory, astringent, and functions as a mild diuretic. Chickweed spreads rapidly and is the bane of many farmers and gardeners, so you may want to grow it in it's own raised bed and harvest it before it goes to seed - each plant can produce an average of 25,000 seeds!
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