As the winter chill recedes, leaving the earth moist and soft yet bathed in sunlight, Chickweed makes its dainty and festive appearance all across the hillsides and along creekbeds around us. Although considered a weed by some, and certainly not rare or scarce, Chickweed is a powerful healer and a delicious spring cleansing edible for salads and smoothies. It is regarded highly for its demulcent, moisturizing properties and is used to treat everything from skin irritation, to eye inflammation, to arthritis and hypothyroidism.
Though demure in size and energetics, this diminutive plant (whose name means "little star," for the tiny white star-shaped blooms it sports) has graced the pages of herbals since they were first printed. The great herbalist Jethro Kloss said of Chickweed, "It heals and soothes anything it comes in contact with."
It is seen as a deeply nourishing herb that helps awaken our life-force energy after the long winter nights -- its high in vitamin C, making it good to help ward off illness during spring's transition time, as well as being high in calcium, iron, and many other minerals.
Chickweed cleanses the liver, lymph system, kidneys, intestines, and lungs of toxins and helps to flush excess fats from our bodies. It is well known to assist in losing weight, "Not just short term water weight, but long-term deposits of fats," writes herbalist Matthew Wood.
"It is an outstanding remedy for lipomas (fatty tumors), as well as general weight loss -- facts to which I can attest from personal experience. At the same time, chickweed acts deeply on all of the waters of the body..."
In addition to its wonderful healing properties, Chickweed is a delicious edible to wildcraft, especialy as it is easy to find and identify. You can add it to salads and sandwiches, steam it, or even make it into pesto. Bon Appetite! Spring is here.
Chickweed Pesto
2 cloves of garlic
3 Tbsp. pine nuts or sunflower seeds
¼ tsp. salt
2 packed cups chopped fresh chickweed
½ cup olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Blend or chop in a food processor, and enjoy!
It tastes wonderful over pasta (especially thin pastas, like angel hair or fettucini) or you can just use it as a dip for crackers or vegetables. It even freezes!
