Chickweed (Stellaria media) is an amazing plant that grows all over many yards, parks, under trees, etc in the Eastern U.S. It can be tricky to find because it’s seasonal, coming up early winter and then dying back when it gets too hot. So now’s the time to head out to your yard to look for it – you may be surprised by what you find!

Identification:

Leaves: Round, opposite leaves that are smooth (mouse-eared chickweed looks similar, but is fuzzy). The stalks are hairy.

Flowers: 10-petaled, white flowers, about 5 cm across. Ten stamens with light yellow, greenish, or reddish anthers. Flower stalks are hairy.

Height: Five to 50 cm tall, usually sprawling out on the ground like a mat.

Habitat: Chickweed is a common lawn and garden weed, that can grow in waste soils, and forests. It also grows in Europe.

This tiny plant has many amazing benefits – it has nearly every vitamin and mineral your body needs to thrive. Vitamins A, C, D, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine plus the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus, sodium, copper, and silica. It has 83 times more iron than spinach and has many medicinal uses.

All of this is great, you may be asking yourself, but what about taste?

Well, an important perk is that it is also delicious! Chefs in New York City and Vegas are getting hooked on it . . . it has a leafy almost grassy flavor most people find pleasant. Not spicy or sweet, but an excellent addition to salads, burgers, and side dishes.

Other than straight from the ground, my second favorite way to eat this plant is to make pesto. All you need to do is follow a generic basil pesto recipe but add chickweed rather than basil.

Chickweed is a nutrient powerhouse, often called “nature’s vitamin pill.” Compared to spinach, it has 6 times the amount of vitamin C, 12 times more calcium, and 83 times more iron.

Nutritional Content per Serving (100 grams):

• Vitamins:
  • Vitamin A: 1,000 IU (20% DV)
  • Vitamin C: 20 mg (33% DV)
  • Vitamin K: 40 mcg (33% DV)
  • Folate: 80 mcg (20% DV)
• Minerals:
  • Calcium: 40 mg (4% DV)
  • Iron: 1 mg (6% DV)
  • Potassium: 300 mg (9% DV)
  • Magnesium: 15 mg (4% DV)
• Calories: 20
• Protein: 1.3 grams
• Carbohydrates: 2 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 1.2 grams
• Sugars: 0.5 grams
• Fat: 0.3 grams
• Antioxidants: Chickweed contains antioxidants like phytosterols, tocopherols, triterpene saponins, hentiacontanol, coumarins, organic acids, and flavonoids.
• Other nutrients: Chickweed also contains etheric oils and rutin, a bioflavinoid.

Ways to Use Pesto

https://tracksandroots.com/2022/11/22/wildcrafting-wild-greens-pizza/

https://tracksandroots.com/2021/01/29/wildcrafting-wild-garlic-gnocci-with-wild-greens-pesto/