October Monthly Herb Highlight: Chickweed is one of my favorite examples of Mother Nature’s generosity! This diminutive and un-assuming little plant is a power-house nutrient and valuable medicine.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is one the most common weeds in the world. It generously self seeds and can be found growing in abundance during the cooler spring and fall months. This photo is of chickweed I found happily volunteering in my raised garden beds. Chickweed’s properties are legion: alterative, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, inflammatory modulator, lymphatic, and nutritive.
Energetically, chickweed is cooling and moistening making it a great herb for hot and inflamed conditions. I like to add this superstar to salves used for itchy skin woes such as blisters, rashes, and scrapes. I find it very helpful, in combination with other herbs, for supporting sore muscles and joints. Chickweed is nutrient dense and contains beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium and a host of other goodness. I love adding it to garden pesto along with basil, parsley, and spinach.
I invite you to get outside and look down by your feet. You may very well find chickweed blessing your own backyard!
To learn more about chickweed and how to identify it I recommend the book Wild Remedies by Rosalee de la Foret and Emily Han. It is available through the Worcester Public Library system.
Green blessings, Michaela
(Stay safe and please be sure to properly identify any wild plants before using or eating!)
de la Foret, R., & Han, E. (2020). Wild Remedies: How to forage healing foods and craft your own herbal medicine. New York: Hay House.
