Healing Gardens

Body:

CHICKWEED  

                                    Family Name:  Carnation       

Family Name:  Caryophyllaceae

   Latin Name:  Stellaria media 

Common Names:  Common Chickweed, Indian chickweed, stitchwort, starwort, white bird’s eye, chick wittles, chickwhirtles, satin flower, adder’s mouth, mouse ear, starweed, passerine, tongue grass, cluckenweed, michevious Jack, skirt buttons, cyrillo, bindweed, and winter weed (1:387; 2:332).

 

Native American Names:  None found.

 Related Species:  Stellaria alsine, Stellaria borealis, Stellaria calycantha, Stellaria umbellate, Stellaria crispa, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria humifusa, Stellaria longifolia, Stellaria longipes, Stellaria nitens, and Stellaria obtuse (7).

 Sitting With/Dreams/Sense of the Plant:  I placed a small cloth bag filled with dried Stellaria media under my pillow.  I had a dream that night of an event that happened the next day.  I don’t know if this was coincidence, but it was very interesting.  I have sat with the dried plant.  My sense is that it is a free, happy plant – a free spirit, if you wish.

 Body System Affiliations: 

1. Digestive System
2. Respiratory System
3. General Nutritive (All Systems)
4. Skin
5. Immune System
6. Urinary System

 

(1:387; 4:77, 139, 185)

 Botanical Description:

            Habit:  Low-growing, trailing herb – Annual; can reach considerable length

            Arrangement:  Opposite pairs

            Stem: Branched and trailing, with hairs on one side only, alternating with leaves

            Leaves:  Small, light green, oval, entire; 1-3 cm long and 3.15 mm wide

            Flowers:  Small, white, 5-petaled in a star shape, 6 mm across

            Fruit:  Tiny seed capsules, single chambered with 6 teeth

            Underground Parts:  Taproot

           

            (3:333)

 

Habitat:  Mineral-rich soil in shady, moist locations near gardens, at the edge of woods,

    in clear-cuts, and near human habitations.  It is also often found in the shade of

    oak trees. 

Range:  Europe, North America

Native:  Native to Europe

Ecological Relationships:  Not found

 

(1:387)

 Personal Observations of Locations Observed, Dates, and Descriptions of Plants: 

I have observed this plant in a clear-cut near my house last year (2005), but I cannot give an accurate description from that sighting at this time.  I did not find the chickweed when I went back there on 11/17/06.  I looked at a map of Washington State the showed the distribution of Stellaria media and it was not located in any of the counties close enough for me to travel to.  I know it grows near me, but have not located any fresh plant at this time.

 Western (European-American) Uses/Relationships:

Food:  It is a nutritious herb and was fed to caged birds and rabbits (time period not

stated in source).  The plant can be eaten steamed or fresh by humans.  The

leaves can be boiled like spinach, or eaten fresh with dandelion greens as a salad.

 

(1:387; 4:40)

 Medicine:

            Part Used:  Whole fresh or dried plant, crushed plant or plant juice

            Medicinal Actions: 

Anti-Inflammatory, Diuretic, Anti-itch, Anti-irritant, Analgesic, Anti-rheumatic,

Anti-microbial, Emollient, Vulnerary

            Indications:    

Inflammation of the digestive and respiratory system

                        Itching and irritation of the skin

                        Toxicity of the Liver and Kidneys

                        Painful Urination

            Body System Associations:

1.      Digestive System

2.      Respiratory System

3.      General Nutritive (All Systems)

4.      Skin

5.      Immune system

6.      Urinary System

 Constituents:

Saponins, mucilage, silica, coumarins, flavanoids, triterpenoids, and carboxylic acids

Minerals:  Copper, Iron, Vitamins A, B, and C

 

(1:387; 3:77, 132, 139, 154, 185)

 Applications:

                        Infusions, poultice, or tincture (1:388).

 Preparation:

            Infusion:  Place 2 oz. of fresh chickweed leaves in a warmed glass container and cover

with 2.5 cups of boiling water.  Cover and steep for 10 minutes.  This will store for

approximately 2 days in the refrigerator.  An infusion may also be added to bath water or

used as a skin wash for itchy, inflamed skin (1:388).

 

Poultice:  Chop fresh stems and leaves in quantity to cover area being treated.  Sprinkle

the chopped plant with water and cover the area with the wet herb.  Wet gauze or cotton

can be used to hold the mass in place (1:388)

 

Tincture:  Combine 4 oz. of fresh or powdered dry herb with one pint of alcohol

(brandy, gin, or vodka) in a glass container.  Make sure plant parts are covered with the

alcohol.  Store the mixture in a dark place for 2 to 4 weeks, shaking several times a day. 

Strain the mixture and store in a dark glass bottle with a tight lid (1:388). 

 Pharmacy:

            Infusion:  By the cupful, up to 3 times per day.

 

Tincture:  1 – 4 ml, 3 times a day.

 

(1:388) 

 Cautions:

            May aggravate hay fever, use in moderation for internal treatments.

            There have been no side effects reported as of yet.

 

            (1:388)

 

Indigenous and Non-Western Use/Significance/Relationships 

Food:  An Iroquois forage food and used as food for chickens.

 Medicine:

            Indigenous Group:  Iroquois

            Part Used:  Plant fragments in combination with other plants

            Indications: 

          Antirheumatic (external)

                                  Dermatological Aid

            Applications: 

          Poultice for swellings

                                  Raw, compound poultice for cuts and wounds

 Medicine:

            Indigenous Group:  Chippewa

            Part Used:  Leaves

            Indications: 

          Eye Medicine

            Applications: 

          Decoction of strained leaves used as an eye wash for sore eyes.

 

            (6)

 

Propagation:

            Technique:  This plant is started by seed and does not need encouragement.  It is

            adaptable to almost any soil type.

           

Timing:  Anytime  

 Harvest:

            Plant Part: Entire plant

            Season of Harvest:  Throughout the year – gather the young plant before flowering

            Method of Harvest:  Snipping of the stems as to encourage new growth for later harvest.

            Ecological Considerations of Harvest:  Leaving some stem for growth for later harvest. 

            This is a weed and reproduces quickly.  It self-seeds and can produce as many as 5

            generations within a season.

            Cultural Considerations of Harvest:  None found.

            Cautions:  May aggravate hay fever.

            Personal Experience:  None.

 

            (1:387; 3:185)

 

Personal Experience: 

            Medicine: 

                        Part used:  Dried leaves, stems, flowers

                        Desired Medical Actions:  Respiratory aid, anti-inflammatory

                        Targeted Indications:  Chronic cough and cold, itchy skin

 Procurement: 

                        Source:  Radiance in Olympia, WA

                        Condition:  Dried

                        Cost:  $ 1.08 per ounce

                        Other Procurement Information:  None found. 

            Application/Preparation/Pharmacy:

                        Applications:  Tincture and Infusion

                       

Preparation:

                                    Tincture:  11-16-2006:  I warmed 8 oz. of organic apple cider vinegar on

      the stove.  While I waited, I put 1/4 oz. of dried herb into my

      tincture jar.  I poured the warm vinegar over it and sealed the

      lid tight.  I put the jar into one of my cabinets where it would

      stay dark. 

                                   

Infusion:  11-18-2006 I put 1 teaspoon of dried Chickweed and 1

                  teaspoon of dried Peppermint into my tea mug.  To this I added

                  about 8 ounces of boiling water.  I  put the steeping lid on the

                  cup and let it sit for 10 minutes.  I then strained it and drank the

                  infusion. 

                       

Pharmacy:  The tincture is not ready to use yet.  It should be ready by 12-9-2006.

                                             I took 8 ounces of the tea one time so far.   

                       

Reason/Purpose:  The infusion is to help relieve my cold symptoms and the

                                                       tincture will be tried on any skin irritation when it arises.  I

                                                       might try it on my dogs.

                       

Experience:  The tea helped a bit, but I think it was more the work of the

          Peppermint opening my sinuses.                         

Cautions based on experience:  None.

 

Cautions:  May aggravate hay fever, moderation for ingestion.

                  There have been no side effects reported as of this time.

                  

(1:388)

     

1.  Krapp, Kristine, and Jacqueline L. Longe, Editors.  The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative  

    Medicine.  Farmington Hills, MI:  Gale Group, 2001.

 

2.  Royer, France, and Rich Dickinson.  Weeds of the Northern U.S.  Edmonton, Alberta,

    Canada:  The University of Alberta Press and Renton, WA:  Lone Pine Publishing, 1999.

 

3.  Hoffman, David.  The Holistic Herbal.  Findhorn, Scotland:  Findhorn Press, 1983.

 4.  Maybe, Richard, Michael McIntyre, Pamela Michael, Gail Duff, John Stevens, Editors.  The

     New Age Herbalist.  London, England:  Gaia Books Ltd., 1988.

 

5.  Moore, Michael.  Medicinal Plants Of The Pacific West.  Sante Fe, NM:  Red Crane Books,

     Inc., 1993.

 

6.  Moerman, Daniel E.  Native American Ethnobotany Database.  May 2003.  Online at

     http://herb.umd.umich.edu/.   Visited 11-17-2006.

 

7.  Plants For A Future.  Plants For A Future.  June 2004.  Online at 

     http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Stellaria+media.  Visited 11/17/2006.

    Chickweed  Stellaria media

Photo By:  Scott and Sandi Stevenson

Source of Photo:  Live plant in Henry W. Coe State Park, CA

              Tracy Wilson          -          Healing Gardens          -          Fall Quarter          -          2006