Traditional Uses and Benefits of the Chickweed

Chickweed, Stellaria media
Stellaria Media (chickweed) is an annual plant from the family Caryophyllaceae and genus Stellaria. This herb is sometimes referred to as common chickweed to distinguish it from other plants with the same name. The herb Stellaria media is also referred to as winterweed, maruns, chickenwort, and craches.
It is commonly grown as feed for chickens.

I think most people these days have become more concerned about having a nice grass lawn and have forgotten about thevalue of a diverse habitat. Unfortunately, chickweed is one of those plants that is often indescriminantly yanked up as a weed. I used to find it everywhere, but now I have to spend a bit of time looking for this useful little herb. I now have it growing beside my paddock wall.
Plant identification
Common chickweed can grow from heights of 2 to 20 inches. It grows in a unique, intertwined manner covering large areas.
It has small white star-shaped flowers.The chickweeds leaves are oval with cup-like tips and are smooth with slightly
feathered edges.
The flowers of this herb are small, white and star-shaped. They are produced at the tip of the stem. The sepals are green in color.
Edible Use
The leaves, stem, and flowers are edible. The leaves are used by adding them to sandwiches and raw to salads. These leaves can also be added to stews and soups as well. The flowers and stems can be used cooked as a vegetable or in soups.
Harvesting Instructions
Harvesting of this herb is done early in the morning or late in the evening.
Use scissors or clippers to cut the top six branches. Harvest as many branches as you can then clean them thoroughly. Use them fresh or dry them for future use.
Medicinal Uses
Rheumatism
I make a traditional tea or tincture from this herb as a remedy for rheumatism. Take one cup of tea, twice daily or up to
20 ml of the tincture. It relieves the inflammation and pain of rheumatism. I also recommend adding a strong tea to a warm bath and soaking to relieve rheumatism pains, especially on the knees and feet.
Roseola and Other Rashes
Children and adults suffering from roseola are plagued by an itchyrash. I recommend a poultice of moistened crushed chickweed leaves applied to the rash for relief of pain and itching. Adding astrong tea to the bathwater also helps.
Nerve Pain
Chickweed applied as a poultice has carminative properties that help relieve the pain and tingling caused by surface nerves misfiring.
Constipation and Digestive Problems
I recommend chickweed tea or small doses of the decoction to treat constipation. Be careful not to overdo it with the
decoction; it has a strong purgative action. Chickweed also has analgesic properties that act on the digestive system to relieve pain, but it does not treat the underlying causes. Digestive problems are helped by taking small doses over time.

Skin Irritations, Dermatitis, Eczema, Urticaria, Shingles, and Varicose Veins
An ointment or poultice made from chickweed works well for skin irritations, especially on itches and rashes. It relieves
the irritation very well and soothes the itch. It is also useful for varicose veins, urticaria, dermatitis, and eczema. For widely spread rashes or when large areas are affected, I tell my patients to add the decoction to their bathwater and take a soak.
Detoxification, Blood Purification, Tetanus, Boils, Herpes, and Venereal Diseases
Chickweed is an excellent detoxification agent and blood purifier. It is useful to draw poisons out of the body in cases of blood poisoning, tetanus, or from poisons entering the blood stream through a wound. For these purposes make a poultice from equal parts chickweed, ginger root and honey. Blend the mixture to a smooth paste and apply it directly to the wound and the surrounding area. Cover the poultice and replace it every six hours.
You may also take chickweed powder or tea to treat the problem from the inside out. This same protocol works for the
treatment of boils, herpes sores, and other venereal diseases. Give both internal and external remedies for best results.
Warnings
Some people are allergic to chickweed. The herb is considered safe, but it should not be used by nursing women or
pregnant women without the approval from a healthcare professional.
Recipes
Chickweed Decoction
Use fresh chickweed whenever possible to make this herbal decoction. It is an excellent internal cleanser and makes a good wash and external agent. You need 1 cup freshly picked chickweed leaves and 1 pint of water.
Bring the water to a boil and add the chickweed leaves. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the leaves for 15 minutes. Cool the decoction and use it internally or externally. The internal dose is 1 to 2 fluid ounces.
Chickweed Tea
Make a traditional tea using 1 teaspoon of the dried herb or 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped chickweed. Pour 1 cup of
boiling water over the leaves and cover it while it steeps for 10 to 15 minutes. Consume the entire cup for medicinal
purposes.
Infused Oil and Ointment

Make up an infused oil and prepare an ointment for your medicinal cupboard