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.
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Weeds
Weed or not
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Lifespan
Herb
Plant Type
Green
Leaf Color
2 mm to 5 mm
Flower Size
Brown, Copper
Fruit Color
White
Flower Color
Green, White, Brown
Stem Color
Winter dormancy
Dormancy
Deciduous
Leaf type
20 - 35 ℃
Ideal Temperature
Spring, Summer, Winter
Growth Season
Rapid
Growth Rate
On This Page
Images
Distribution
Culture
Weed Control
Quickly Identify
Care Guide
FAQs
Images of Common chickweed
Distribution of Common chickweed
Distribution Map
Common chickweed is native across Europe (though extinct in Switzerland) and southern and western Asia. It is considered invasive in several North American states. Common chickweed lives in moist, shady locations and can take over native vegetation.
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Introduced
No species reported
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Habitat
A variety of soil types
Hemisphere Trend Curve
Northern
Sorthern
Culture
Garden Use
Common chickweed makes a wonderful ground cover in sunny vegetable or butterfly gardens, as long as cool weather persists. It's a hardy, abundant plant that requires low maintenance in gardens. Some find its presence weedy and annoying, while others admire its greenery, showy flowers, and ability to attract birds, bees, and butterflies to gardens.
Symbolism
a meeting or rendezvous
Interesting Facts
Common chickweed is an important part of the Japanese festival Nanakusa no sekku or Festival of the Seven Herbs. The festival begins on January 7, when common chickweed and 6 other edible wild herbs are combined into a mixture called nanakusa. On January 7, people cut the 7 herbs, including common chickweed, while chanting, "Before the birds of the continent fly to Japan, let's get nanakusa." The seven herbs are supposed to bring health, long life and ward off evil
Name Story
Common chickweed||Chickenwort: As a common weed, it might disrupt the invaded areas. However, there are many places to make good use of it. It is called chickweed because chickens like to eat it. It is also the most common plant, so it is also called common chickweed. Sometimes, it's also called chickenwort.
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Weed Control
Common chickweed is a native herb of Europe and is now considered invasive across several states in the mainland US and Hawaii. Common chickweed can produce vast quantities of seeds when in its ideally cool and shaded environments. These seeds germinate extremely fast, and even when they don't, they can remain viable in the soil for up to 60 years. Sprouts create dense shoots that outgrow native species and can quickly take over ecosystems. Common chickweed also can become a host of pests, such as spider mites, and is known to contain poisonous glycosides and saponins, which are particularly dangerous to pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
How to Control It
The best season to remove common chickweed is spring, before its flower buds fully open to prevent the weed from reseeding. Here are a few ways you can control or remove it:
Hand-pulling: Water the area lightly to loosen the soil then begin pulling the weed from the base to ensure you remove the whole plant. It's best to do this when the soils are moist for easier extraction.
Smothering: Lay down thick black plastic sheeting or layers of newspaper over the area where the weed has grown. This prevents light from reaching the weed, eventually killing it. This process may take several weeks.
Solarization: This method involves covering the weed-infested soil with a clear plastic tarp during the hottest months of the year. The sun heats the soil underneath to temperatures that kill the weeds. Leave the tarp in place for at least six weeks.
Using Corn Gluten Meal: Scatter corn gluten meal over the area to prevent the weed seeds from germinating. Apply in early spring before the weed begins its growth cycle. The corn gluten meal is harmless to mature plants and beneficial soil organisms.
Mulching: Lay organic mulch like straw, shredded bark, or leaf compost around your other plants to suppress common chickweed growth. The mulch blocks sunlight and makes it difficult for the weed to grow.
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Quickly Identify Common chickweed
1
Tiny white flowers with split petals resembling ten, held on hairy stems up to 16 inches (40 cm) high.
2
Oval-shaped green leaves with pointed tips, growing opposite each other on the stem, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long.
3
Sprawling, mat-forming growth habit creating dense patches on the ground.
4
White delicate flowers with five bifid petals, five lanceolate sepals, and hairy exteriors.
5
Cylindrical light brown seed capsule with 6 petite teeth, housing reddish-brown seeds, finely bumpy texture.
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Water:
Thriving in temperate regions, common chickweed prefers evenly moist soil and benefits from weekly watering to maintain its natural moisture balance. It shows resilience during rainy seasons, making it well-suited for climates with supportive precipitation patterns.
Propagation:
Common chickweed propagates easily through spring sowing. Monitor propagation by checking for seedling emergence. Prevent overcrowding by ensuring proper spacing between seeds.
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