How to Grow and Care for Chickweeds

The common chickweed gets its name due to the fact that chickens love to eat it, though they're not alone in that respect. Though it's often considered a nuisance weed, most parts of this plant can be consumed raw or cooked and used similar to spinach. The saponins in common chickweed are slightly toxic but will only have an effect if ingested in huge quantities.

Greater stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) is a herbaceous perennial that will grow from 20 to 30 cm tall. It blooms from spring to summer with white star-shaped flowers. Seeds make a popping sound as they ripen and are dispersed. It thrives in partial shade and is commonly found growing along forest edges and parks. Attracts bees butterflies and other pollinators to its sweet nectar.

Grass-like starwort (Stellaria graminea) comes from Eurasia, but its weedy tendencies have allowed it to spread throughout the world. In the U.S.'s midwest and northeast, it is commonly found on lawns and disturbed areas. Like other members of Stellaria (a word derived from the Latin for "star"), grass-like starwort's flowers have small, star-shaped petals. Various doves and sparrows munch on this species' seeds, and caterpillars like the foliage.

Wood stitchwort is a perennial herb that only grows in damp soil; in fact, the presence of stitchwort is thought to signal a healthy marsh environment with plenty of water. In good habitats, it will expand and grow dense until no other plants can grow among its runners.

A early blooming wildflower, star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) is native to the United States. Named for its star-shaped flowers, this plant is an edible weed. It can be eaten raw and cooked.