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

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

Plant guide

Common Chickweed.

Stellaria media

Pronounced stel-LAIR-ee-uh MEE-dee-uh

Also known as Chickweed, Common Chickweed

Common chickweed is a hardy, low growing annual that thrives in cool, moist conditions. It often appears as a weed in gardens but is actually edible and quite nutritious. You will find it spreads quickly across the soil surface.

Another photo of Common Chickweed — Photo by Karen Fry (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual herb
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 2 to 4 days
Mature size: 6 to 12 inches
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Early spring to late autumn

Care

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.

Watering: Keep the soil evenly damp to the touch.
Feeding: Fertilizer is generally not needed for this fast growing annual.
Pruning: Trim back stems to encourage bushier growth or harvest for culinary use.
Repotting: Since it is an annual, you will likely be replanting from seed each year.
Soil: Rich, moist, well draining soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -10 to 25°C
Humidity: 40 to 80%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Annual, typically 1 year.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots circling the bottom of the pot.
Stunted growth despite regular watering.

Safety

People: This plant is generally considered safe and is often consumed as a wild edible green.
Children: The small seeds and stems are not toxic, but they pose a minor choking hazard if ingested in large quantities.
Contact allergens: Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation from handling the stems.
Airborne allergens: The pollen can trigger mild seasonal allergies in sensitive people.
Edibility: Ensure plants are harvested from areas free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers before consumption.

How to identify it

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

Height: 0.05 to 0.4m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.6m
Leaves: bright green, deciduous
Flowers: white, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: brown, Spring to autumn

Problems to watch for

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: It often survives mild winters as a low-growing rosette and will continue to grow whenever temperatures rise above freezing.
In containers: It grows well in shallow containers or window boxes, provided the soil stays consistently moist.

Direct Sowing

1. Prepare a patch of moist, fertile soil in early spring or autumn.
2. Scatter seeds thinly over the surface.
3. Lightly press the seeds into the soil without burying them deep.
4. Keep the area consistently moist until germination occurs.

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

Grows well with

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

Similar species

Mouse-ear chickweed · It has hairy leaves and stems, unlike the smooth stems of common chickweed.
Scarlet pimpernel · It has similar growth habits but produces distinct orange or blue flowers.

Science

Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Stellaria
Order: Caryophyllales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe and Western Asia, now naturalized globally.
Conservation: 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.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, early season food
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, beetles
Uses: culinary greens, poultry feed, medicinal tea, ground cover

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 6/9
Temperature: 4/9
Moisture: 6/9
Nutrients: 7/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

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.

Where the name comes from

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.

Good to know

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.

Keep your common chickweed growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.