Chickweed – salad for the taking
You probably think it’s a little too early to forage for wild foods, but there’s one plant I characterize as a “winter annual” that’s coming up right now and is one of the best early spring greens. The herb, wild edible, wildflower, or weed, depending upon your perspective, is chickweed (Stellaria media) a member of the pink family (although it doesn’t have pink flowers). It is among the green patches sprouting up (with few other plants growing in the mat of tiny leaves) here and there with delectable, miniature tender greens.
This ubiquitous plant originates in Europe, but is now a cosmopolitan weed, meaning it occurs pretty much everywhere. The genus name Stellaria comes from the Latin stella, a star. This annual plant produces luxuriant vegetative growth now. Sure, it will get knocked down by a hard freeze, but it will perk-up on a warm day and keep on growing.
In a few weeks, the tiny white flowers, barely a quarter inch wide will be underfoot, and by the end of March it will bolt into seeds, and the plants will tangle to an yellow jumble of ugly stems, just as you’re ready to plant your peas.
While scorned by some as a medicinal plant with few health benefits, in historical herbals it is suggested as an herb to be used to prevent obesity. This has been largely dismissed as an old wive’s tale, although there is a 2011 study from India that showed fat mice when given a methanolic extract of chickweed helped to prevent an increase in body weight, fat tissue and associated complications.
They thought their observed effects might be due to beta-sitosterol in the plant that is structurally similar to dietary fat and perhaps competes with and reduces fat absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. This compound is common in plants and various plant oils, such as avocado. Of course, if you’re fed a diet of spinach, you will probably prevent obesity by lack of calories.
The small, opposite oval leaves are tender and delectable, and in places where weeds grow and thrive on neglect, it’s abundant enough to make a big salad. Most believe lawns are places to encourage boring green grass. On the other hand, I believe they are places to encourage useful “weeds.” So if you find yourself crunching through a bland iceberg lettuce this winter, head to the yard to graze on some delicious chickweed.