Chickweed is here... everywhere, if you just look down. In warm winters, such as here in Texas, she is found all winter long. Stellaria is derived from the word 'stellar' meaning 'star', which is a reference to the shape of her flowers. Identified by many very small starry white flowers (not yellow) growing in low dense mats with fine hairs on one side of a smooth stem.
Her cooling properties help to bring down fevers and fight infections. The saponin constituents (moistening/soapy like) contained within help gently dissolve thickened lung and throat membranes making her a great ally in treating lung conditions such as bronchitis. whooping cough, asthma, flu, and pneumonia. This cooling, calming nature also works wonders on the bladder, kidneys, and liver. Her water element helps to alleviate menstrual pain and if taken consistently can even reduce ovarian cysts.
Chickweed is a nourishing herb rich in bio-available nutrition that helps the body assimilate trace minerals and vitamins creating overall vitality at the cellular level. She aids in recovery from debilitating conditions such as surgery, trauma, anemia, scurvy and rickets. Add chickweed to your bath to alleviate sore muscles, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. Her moistening properties help to bring fluidity back into the joints and restore elasticity.
Chickweed can also be used as an external poultice to pull out splinters, venom, and infections. Bringing cooling to heated skin conditions such as rashes, chicken pox, mosquito bites, cold sores, bruises, blisters, healing wounds, and can even remove warts!
An edible, nutritious, abundant weed that is rich in minerals and can easily be added to salads and sandwiches for a little salty and slightly bitter flavor. The kids at school are eating it up and using it as *real food* in their imaginative play. Who would've guessed she has so much to offer in such a little package. InJoy and be well :)
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Slattery, John. Southwest Foraging. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2016. Print.
Howard, Michael. Traditional Folk Remedies: a comprehensive herbal. London: Century, 1987. Print.
Pursell, JJ. The Herbal Apothecary. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2015. Print.