 Chickweed
(Stellaria media)
Plant family: Caryophyllaceae
Note!
The leaves contain saponins. Although toxic, these
substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through
without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins
are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such
as certain beans. It is advisible not to eat large quantities of food that
contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish,
and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams,
lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish.
In excess doses chickweed can cause diarrhea and
vomiting. It should not be used medicinally by pregnant women.
Description
Chickweed is a low-growing annual that flowers in early
spring. It has juicy stalks with paired leaves and lots of small white flowers.
The petals are cleft, creating the impression that there are 10 petals, when in
fact there are only 5. It spreads easily.
Revered as a nuisance to most gardeners, this
inconspicuous little plant grows world wide and in abundance. It is usually one
of the first plants in spring and in the heat of summer it can be found in
cooler, damp shady areas.
It has been said that there is no part of the world where
the Chickweed is not to be found. It is a native of all temperate and north
Arctic regions, and has naturalized itself wherever man has settled, becoming
one of the commonest weeds.
Habitats include woodland areas prone to flooding,
thickets, cropland and fallow fields, lawns and gardens, nursery plots, areas
adjacent to buildings, and miscellaneous waste areas. While this species occurs
to a limited extent in natural habitats, it prefers areas with a history of
disturbance.
Main constituents
Mucilage, saponin glycocides, coumarins and
hydroxycoumarins, flavonoids, triterpinoids, carboxylic acids, vitamin C
Uses
Medical
A poultice or an ointment made from the astringent plant
(parts above ground) heals infected skin, itching eczema, psoriasis and
varicose veins. It eases arthritis, pulls out splinters and heals cuts. A
decoction is given to drink as a cleansing tonic which eases constipation,
weakness and catarrh.
The whole plant is astringent, carminative, demulcent,
diuretic, expectorant, laxative, refrigerant, vulnerary. Taken internally it is
useful in the treatment of chest complaints and in small quantities it also
aids digestion. It can be applied as a poultice and will relieve any kind of
roseola and is effective wherever there are fragile superficial veins. An
infusion of the fresh or dried herb can be added to the bath water and its
emollient property will help to reduce inflammation - in rheumatic joints for
example - and encourage tissue repair. Chickweed is best harvested between May
and July, it can be used fresh or be dried and stored for later use.
A decoction of the whole plant is taken internally as a
post-partum depurative, emmenagogue, galactogogue and circulatory tonic. It is
also believed to relieve constipation and be beneficial in the treatment of
kidney complaints. The decoction is also used externally to treat rheumatic
pains, wounds and ulcers. The expressed juice of the plant has been used as
eyewash.
Magical
Chickweed is often used in workings to strengthen or
maintain a relationship, or other rituals of love. It can be carried for the
same purpose. While its area of concentration is relationships, Chickweed can
actually be beneficial in any lunar based workings. Also, consider Chickweed
for animal magic or bird magic, or when working with a bird totem or patron. It
strengthens magical energy and promotes attraction and balances the magickal
properties of nettles.
Culinary
Young green tops in spring are excellent in salads and
used like spinach for tonic. The seeds are ground into a powder and used in
making bread or to thicken soups. It would be very fiddly to harvest any
quantity of this seed since it is produced in small quantities throughout most
of the year and is very small.
Cosmetic
Chickweeds best uses are for skin issues and as a tonic.
Topically, chickweed addresses skin ailments from minor rashes and itching to
eczema and psoriasis. It is also effective against relieving pain from bug
bites.
Cultivation
Typical growing conditions consist of partial or full
sun, moist to mesic conditions, and a fairly fertile loam or clay-loam soil.
Light shade and temporary flooding are tolerated.
Harvest
Parts above ground during bloom.
Recipes
Chickweed Salve
2 part Chickweed
2 part Plantain
1 part Comfrey Leaf
Olive oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E
Notes - If 1 part equals 1/3 cup then you will need 12 -
14 ounces of oil and about 1 ounce of beeswax.
Use this salve to soothe itching caused by insect bites
and rashes, and to aid healing of minor skin irritations
If you want a small amount of salve you can choose one
tablespoon as your part, if you want a large amount of salve you might choose
1/2 - 1 cup as your part. The amount of oil needed is enough to completely
cover the herbs, plus an inch of oil above the level of the herbs. The tricky
part of this is determining exactly how much beeswax is needed to harden the
salve. You can approximate the proportions based on the following equivalents.
One pint of oil will need about 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax, or one ounce of oil will
need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax. There are about 5 teaspoons of beeswax in
an ounce.
If you intend to make your salve using freshly collected
plants, you will want to clean them. Do this by shaking them to remove dirt
then spread the herbs out to allow them to air dry for several hours ( until
wilted ) to reduce the moisture content. Fresh chickweed, for example, contains
a lot of moisture and this water content could cause your salve to spoil
quickly.
To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs
into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot.
Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the
herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs.
Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours
( about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer( about
5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating your oil
because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is less likely to be
a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then use a double boiler.
After heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a
strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most
of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth,
keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs
and cloth.
Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is
melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and
set it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add more
beeswax.
If you are using essential oils or Vitamin E you can
blend them in now. Finally, pour your salve into containers and label.
Medicinal tea
To 1 tbls. dried herb, 2 if fresh, add 1 cup boiling
water steep for 10 min. Take in ½ cup doses 2 to 4 times daily, during a cold
or flu.
Miscellaneous
Chickweed water is an old wives' remedy for obesity.
Dioscorides, a Greek physician writing in the 1st century
AD, described chickweed's applications as follows: "It (chickweed) may
usefully be applied with cornmeal for inflammtion of the eyes.
Beside chickweed's medicinal uses for humans, Gerard
commented "Little birds in cadges (especially Linnets) are refreshed with
the lesser Chickweed when they loath their meat (lose their appetite);
whereupon it was called of some Passerina." (The Herbal, J. Gerard, 1633
edition)
Chickweeds were not just for small pet birds. According
to Mrs. M. Grieve in A Modern Herbal (1931), it was popular winter treat for
chickens and rabbits. Although now considered a nuisance plant, chickweed
helped maintain healthy birds, especially important to those who depended on
poultry for their livelihood.
This cure for colds from Dianecht, chief physican of the
Tuatha-de-Dannans: Porridge made of hazel-buds, dandelion, chickweed, and wood
sorrel. Boil it all together with oatmeal. Porridge should be taken morning and
evening, and the cold and trouble will soon disappear.
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