Common Chickweed.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Einfach

Pflanzenart

Annual herb

Licht

Partial shade to full sun

Licht im Innenraum

Hell, indirekt

Gießen

Alle 2 bis 4 Tage

Endgröße

6 to 12 inches

Wachstum

Schnell

Winterhärte

USDA 4 bis 9

Blütezeit

Early spring to late autumn

Pflege

Keep the soil consistently moist as this plant dislikes drying out completely. Watch for wilting during warm spells, which indicates it needs more water or shade. It prefers cooler temperatures and will naturally decline once the summer heat sets in.

Gießen

Keep the soil evenly damp to the touch.

Düngen

Fertilizer is generally not needed for this fast growing annual.

Schneiden

Trim back stems to encourage bushier growth or harvest for culinary use.

Umtopfen

Since it is an annual, you will likely be replanting from seed each year.

Boden

Rich, moist, well draining soil

Boden-pH

6.0 to 7.5

Temperatur

-10 bis 25°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

40 bis 80%

Trockenheitstoleranz

Gering

Lebensdauer

Annual, typically 1 year.

Wildverbiss-Resistenz

Mittel

Sicherheit

Menschen

This plant is generally considered safe and is often consumed as a wild edible green.

Kinder

The small seeds and stems are not toxic, but they pose a minor choking hazard if ingested in large quantities.

Kontaktallergene

Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation from handling the stems.

Allergene in der Luft

The pollen can trigger mild seasonal allergies in sensitive people.

Essbarkeit

Ensure plants are harvested from areas free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers before consumption.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Opposite, oval shaped leaves
• Tiny star shaped white flowers
• Single line of hairs on stems
• Low growing mat forming habit

Höhe

0,05 bis 0,4m

Breite

0,15 bis 0,6m

Blätter

bright green, deciduous

Blüten

white, 0,5 bis 1cm

Früchte

brown, Spring to autumn

Häufige Probleme

• Aphids — Small sap-sucking insects that cluster on new growth.
• Powdery mildew — A fungal infection that creates a white dusty coating on leaves.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

seed

Pflanzzeit

spring, autumn

Überwinterung

It often survives mild winters as a low-growing rosette and will continue to grow whenever temperatures rise above freezing.

Im Kübel

It grows well in shallow containers or window boxes, provided the soil stays consistently moist.

Use it as a living mulch in cool weather to keep the soil moist and suppress other weeds.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Lettuce — They share similar moisture and cool-season requirements.
• Radish — Both grow quickly in cool weather and occupy different soil depths.

Ähnliche Arten

• Common mouse-ear chickweed — It has hairy leaves and stems, unlike the smooth stems of common chickweed.
• Anagallis arvensis — It has similar growth habits but produces distinct orange or blue flowers.

Botanisches

Familie

Caryophyllaceae

Gattung

Stellaria

Ordnung

Caryophyllales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Europe and Western Asia, now naturalized globally.

Artenschutz

It is a common, widespread weed and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in disturbed soils and cool, damp environments, often acting as a pioneer species.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

nectar source, early season food

Bestäuber

Bienen, Schmetterlinge, Käfer

Verwendung

culinary greens, poultry feed, medicinal tea, ground cover

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Is chickweed a weed?

Yes, it is often considered a garden weed due to its rapid growth and seed production.

Can I eat it raw?

Yes, the leaves and stems are tender and have a mild, spinach-like flavor.

Woher der Name kommt

The name Stellaria comes from the Latin stella, meaning star, referring to the star-shaped flowers. Media refers to its intermediate size compared to other species in the genus.

Gut zu wissen

• Chickweed flowers close up at night and during rainy weather.
• The plant is highly nutritious and rich in vitamins A, C, and D.
• It is a classic indicator of cool, moist, and fertile soil conditions.
• Chickweed is a favorite treat for chickens and other backyard birds.