Chickenwort Stellaria media

Stellaria media, or Chickweed, is a cool-season annual plant that is sometimes considered a weed. This plant produces 1/2 inch to 1 inch stems that usually sprawl across the ground. It branches abundantly near the base, but very little toward the tips of the stems. Pairs of opposite leaves occur at intervals along these stems. It is in leaf all year, in flower all year, and the seeds ripen all year. The stems terminate in small white flowers during the spring for plants that are winter annuals, and during the summer or autumn for plants that are summer annuals. A typical plant will bloom sporadically for 1-2 months. Each flower is replaced by a cylindrical seed capsule that contains several seeds. The root system is shallow and fibrous. This plant spreads by reseeding itself; it can also spread vegetatively by rooting at the leaf nodes along the stems. It sets flowers and seeds at the same time and can spread rapidly.

The plant grows easily in a moist soil and full sun or partial shade. It can be very lush and vigorous when grown in a fertile soil, but in infertile soils it will flower and set seed while still very small. A very common garden weed, chickweed grows, flowers and sets seed all year round. The flowers open in the morning and remain open for about 12 hours. They do not open in dull weather. The leaves fold up at night time, enfolding and protecting the tender buds of new shoots.

The plant is edible and is also a food source for poultry. It can be confused with other plants that look similar but is distinguished by having hairs on only one side of the stem and hairs on the sepals. It can grow in partial shade to full sun and is often seen in the lawn. Typical growing conditions consist of moist to mesic conditions, and a fairly fertile loam or clay-loam soil. Light shade and temporary flooding are tolerated. It is often seen in woodland areas prone to flooding or standing water, thickets, cropland and fallow fields, lawns and gardens, nursery plots, areas adjacent to buildings, and miscellaneous waste areas. While Chickweed occurs to a limited extent in natural habitats, where it is sometimes invasive, this plant prefers areas with a history of disturbance.

Chickweed has adventitious roots. 

Diseases, Insects and Other Plant Problems: It is listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council

This plant is often considered a weed, especially on lawns, but it can be well managed by preemergence herbicides. Be sure to read the label for correct use. The leaves contain saponins, which, although toxic, are very poorly absorbed by the body and tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. 

VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Travis Birdsell, County Extension Director and Extension Agent for Ashe County Extension