Chickweed Power

Chickweed is a common, wild, edible plant that is packed with vitamins and minerals. It grows in shady, damp habitats. Stellaria media, with its juicy, tender, slightly sweet leaves and stalks. For a quick go-to food in spring. Chickweed is an excellent wild edible choice.

Chickweed Power

What does a hardcore, macho, worm-eating, outdoor, fungi, survival instructor professional eat for breakfast? Chickweed, of course.

In other words, I’m eating this wild crunchy succulent green plant this morning because my fish trap is empty.

But even if I was happily munching on roasted fish. I’d still be eating chickweed because of its high nutritional value and great taste.

Valuable nutrition

Stellaria media is loaded with vitamin A, D (Great for the cloudy Oregon coast), B complex, C, and rutin, a flavonoid. Chickweed is one of a few potherbs that have good amounts of copper.

Chickweed also contains iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, and sodium. Providing me with plenty of good nutrients to start the day.

What does Chickweed taste like?

Chickweed is loaded with chlorophyll. So the taste is very Green! The leaves and stems are juicy and tender. and slightly sweet when young.

I enjoy the big time crunch of this springtime edible!

More edible spring herbs

Sheep Sorrel

Foraging for salad fixings, I found a patch of another delicious edible spring herb. Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella). Just so you know, Sheep Sorrel tastes nothing like sheep, or chicken, for that matter.

But like all sorrel, the leaves and stems are tart. Sour to the taste and makes a terrific addition to any salad. Sorrels' tartness really wakes up those taste buds. Sheep Sorrel makes a great trail snack.

A Kingly Repast

I then drizzled delicious extra virgin olive oil from our local food co-op on the Sorrel salad. Then, I added freshly ground black pepper to taste. And there you have it, a feast for a king.  Or a pauper, or a fishless table such as mine was this morning.

Add edible greens to your survival stew

You can add chickweed greens to your survival stew. Add the fresh, cleaned plant to the stew just before it's ready to eat. The greens will add a nice crunchy quality to the soup. A delicious addition to any camp pot.

Chickweed Medicine

As medicine, Chickweed is commonly used topically for cooling the body. Tea can be made from the whole plant to reduce nausea.

For an example, when you feel a headache coming on from stress or heat. Take the whole fresh chickweed plant. Grab a good handful. Sit down, lean against a tree in the shade, and apply to the forehead.

As a cooling agent, apply the whole plant on the back of the neck, the wrist, or any other part of the body that feels overheated. Ah relief!

Minor burns

Chickweed can also be applied directly to minor burns as an effective poultice or refrigerant.

You can feel safe using Chickweed internally as medicine. Make into a medicinal tea by using a medium handful of fresh, healthy plant, roots, and all, cleaned, steeped in 8 oz. boiled water for 15 minutes. Take Chickweed internally as a tea or as a general anti-inflammatory. You can get the same benefit by eating fresh greens in a salad.

Identification

What distinguishes Chickweed from other look-alike plants is its characteristic one-sided stem hairs.

Chickweed only has hairs on one side of the stem. An important identifying factor to keep in mind when keying out this lovely plant. Look for Stellaria media in the early spring with its tiny white flowers. It does best in semi-shady, damp areas.

In Conclusion

An important useful plant of the Oregon Coast. Join us for the Oregon Coastal Useful Plants Course.

You can register for this class on our Oregon Survival School page.