Omnia SanaStellaria media
Common names in 28 European languages →
The complete database record: 3 documented constituents, 3 pharmacological actions, 4 traditional / indicated uses, with 21 cited sources.
Botanical Description
Low, sprawling annual herb (Caryophyllaceae) forming mats, with weak trailing stems bearing a single line of fine hairs running up one side, switching sides at each leaf node - a key identification feature. Leaves are opposite, ovate and pointed. Tiny white, star-shaped flowers have five deeply notched petals that appear as ten, followed by a small capsule.[1]
Height: Low, sprawling/mat-forming, stems to about 40 cm
Habit: Low, sprawling, mat-forming annual herb
Leaves: Opposite, ovate, pointed
Flowers: Tiny, white, star-shaped, five deeply notched petals (appearing as ten)
Stem: Weak, trailing, with a single line of fine hairs switching sides at each node
Root: Shallow fibrous roots
Fruit: Small capsule
Flowering Period: Can flower almost year-round in mild climates, peaking spring-autumn
Habitat & Distribution
Native to Europe, now a cosmopolitan weed found worldwide, growing in disturbed ground, gardens, cultivated land and waste places, tolerating cool, moist conditions.[1]
Harvesting
The whole aerial plant is gathered fresh, ideally in spring or autumn when most tender, and used fresh or dried.[1]
Parts: Flower, Leaf, Stem
Season: Spring or autumn, when most tender
Key Constituents
Flavonoids and coumarins[1]
Contribute to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
FlavonoidsCoumarins
Saponins[1]
Minor constituents; large amounts of fresh herb have anecdotally been linked to mild gastrointestinal upset, possibly related to saponin content.
Saponins
Vitamin C and minerals[1]
Nutritive constituents supporting its traditional use as a wild edible green.
Pharmacological Actions
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Mechanistic Exclude Ids: REF-0903
Evidence: 2
Label: Arthritis / joint pain
inferred from emollient action
Evidence: 1
Label: Eczema
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Evidence: 2
Label: Inflammation (general)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Mechanistic Exclude Ids: REF-0903
Evidence: 1
Label: Skin irritation
Traditional Use & History
Chickweed has a long European and North American folk-medicine tradition as a cooling, soothing emollient for itchy, inflamed skin conditions such as eczema, and as a nutritious wild spring green. Modern phytochemical review confirms broad anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, though clinical trial evidence remains limited.[1, 12]
Preparations
Fresh leaf poultice/salve[12]
Crushed fresh herb, or an infused oil/salve, applied to itchy, irritated or inflamed skin.
Dosage
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Don’t overdo it as food: some wild-edible-plant research flags chickweed among plants checked for oxalic acid / nitrates-fine in normal amounts, but “huge daily servings” aren’t a smart idea for everyone. (Guil et al., 1997). Kidney stones / high-oxalate diets: if you’re prone to calcium-oxalate stones, treat chickweed like other higher-oxalate greens-moderation. (Guil et al., 1997). Possible stomach upset in large amounts (nausea/diarrhea reported anecdotally; some sources link this to saponins and “too much fresh herb”). (Singh et al., 2022). Pregnancy / breastfeeding: because good human data is limited, many herbal references advise sticking to food amounts or avoiding medicinal dosing unless guided by a professional. (Singh et al., 2022).
Duke (2002) notes that chickweed has primarily folkloric (score f) activity as a demulcent, emollient, and depurative. Its main medicinal applications are external - including soothing inflamed skin, eczema, and itching. No strong clinical evidence supports specific internal medicinal uses. The plant contains flavonoids and coumarins. It is considered generally safe as a dietary green and in topical preparations, though no standardized dosages are established (Duke, 2002).
Dangerous Lookalikes
Confused Part: Whole above-ground plant (stems and leaves) gathered raw from the same low, weedy, disturbed ground where chickweed is picked. Every part carries the caustic milky latex.
Confusion Context: Petty spurge (radium weed, Euphorbia peplus) is a small sprawling annual of gardens, paths and disturbed soil - the exact habitat chickweed is foraged from - and is repeatedly named by foraging authorities as the poisonous lookalike of chickweed. The hazard is chemical injury from its latex: the diterpene-ester sap (ingenol mebutate, confirmed in E. peplus by Ramsay et al. 2011) is caustic to skin, lips, mouth and especially the eye. Euphorbia latex in the eye behaves like an alkaline chemical burn and has caused keratouveitis, corneal epithelial defects, hypopyon and temporary vision loss in published case reports (Merani et al. 2007; Fleischman et al. 2012). Breaking a plant open in the hand and eating it transfers this caustic sap to lips, mouth and gut.
Distinguishing Features: SNAP TEST (decisive): petty spurge instantly bleeds a white MILKY latex from any broken stem or leaf. Chickweed NEVER produces milky sap - torn chickweed shows only clear juice and a stretchy elastic inner thread., Stem: petty spurge has a smooth, round, hairless stem. Chickweed has one distinct line of fine white hairs running up just one side of the stem, switching sides at each leaf node., Flowers: petty spurge has tiny green cup-shaped flower structures (cyathia) with no true petals. Chickweed has small white star flowers whose five petals are so deeply cleft they look like ten.
Key Test: Break a stem. If a white milky latex oozes out it is spurge - discard it and keep it away from mouth and eyes. Chickweed yields only clear juice and a stretchy inner thread, never milk.
Reviewed By: Omnia Sana (owner-authorized)
Reviewed Date: 2026-07-06
Confused Part: Whole leafy plant (stems and leaves) picked raw from cultivated or weedy ground, especially before flowering; all parts contain the toxic saponins.
Confusion Context: Scarlet pimpernel (Lysimachia arvensis, syn. Anagallis arvensis) is a low sprawling annual of the same disturbed weedy ground where chickweed is gathered and shares the small-leaved trailing habit, so pre-flowering shoots can be mistaken for chickweed. It contains haemolytic saponins; the University of California notes it can be toxic to livestock and humans, with toxicity ranging from virtually nontoxic to fatally toxic. Genuine lethal potential is on record: Schneider (1978) experimentally reproduced fatal nephrosis with uraemia and renal cortical necrosis by dosing sheep with the plant. The realistic human outcome from eating it in a salad is gastrointestinal upset, but it is not food.
Distinguishing Features: Stem: scarlet pimpernel has a hairless stem that is distinctly SQUARE (four-angled) in cross-section, with no line of hairs. Chickweed has a rounded stem bearing one line of fine hairs up a single side that switches sides at each node., Leaves: pimpernel leaves are stalkless (sessile) and clasp the square stem in opposite pairs. Chickweed's lower leaves have a clear stalk (petiole)., Flowers: pimpernel flowers are salmon-orange (occasionally brick-red, blue or white) with five rounded un-notched petals. Chickweed flowers are white with five deeply cleft petals looking like ten. Any salmon-orange flower rules out chickweed., Neither plant has milky sap, so the milky-latex test does NOT separate chickweed from pimpernel - use the square hairless stem, sessile opposite leaves and orange flowers instead.
Key Test: Roll the stem between your fingers. Pimpernel's stem is square-edged and hairless all round; chickweed's rounded stem carries a single line of hairs on one side that jumps sides at each node. If flowers are present, any salmon-orange flower means it is not chickweed.
Reviewed By: Omnia Sana (owner-authorized)
Reviewed Date: 2026-07-06
Harvest Readiness
[11]
Part: leaf
Signals: Gather the fresh trailing herb through the growing season, best from May to July (it is in leaf and flower nearly all year).
Basis: traditional
Source Quote: Chickweed is best harvested between May and July, it can be used fresh or be dried and stored for later use
Species Confirmed: 1
Notes: PFAF (REF-3344); the fresh herb is gathered through the growing season, best May-July. Single lineage -> provisional. SAFETY: chickweed can be confused with the irritant petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus), which exudes a milky latex chickweed lacks - confirm identity; see Dangerous Lookalikes.
[11]
Part: stem
Signals: Gather the fresh stems with the herb through the growing season, best from May to July.
Basis: traditional
Source Quote: Chickweed is best harvested between May and July, it can be used fresh or be dried and stored for later use
Species Confirmed: 1
Notes: PFAF (REF-3344); the stems are gathered with the fresh herb, best May-July. Single lineage -> provisional. SAFETY: see the Euphorbia peplus caution above.
[11]
Part: flower
Signals: Gather the tiny white flowers with the fresh herb through the growing season.
Basis: traditional
Source Quote: Chickweed is best harvested between May and July, it can be used fresh or be dried and stored for later use
Species Confirmed: 1
Notes: PFAF (REF-3344); the flowers are gathered with the fresh herb (in flower nearly all year), best May-July. Single lineage -> provisional.
External Identifiers
References & Sources
- Oladeji, O.S., Oyebamiji, A.K (2020) 'Stellaria media (L.) Vill. - A plant with immense therapeutic potentials: phytochemistry and pharmacology', Heliyon, 6(6), pp. e04150. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04150 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04150 - Demjan, V., Sojka, L., Slezak, P., Kaprinay, B. and others (2021) 'Stellaria media tea protects against diabetes-induced cardiac dysfunction in rats without affecting glucose tolerance', Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 12(3), pp. 250-259. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.08.003 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.08.003 - Demjan, V., Kaprinay, B., Sotnikova, R., Knezl, V. and others (2020) 'Effect of Stellaria media Tea on Lipid Profile in Rats', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020, pp. 5109328. doi:10.1155/2020/5109328 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5109328 - Aleem, M., Khan, R.A., Tabassum, N. and others (2023) 'Phytochemical analysis and gastroprotective effect of Stellaria media (L.) Vill. methanolic extract on piroxicam-induced gastric ulcer in Wistar rats', Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 36(5), pp. 1425-1434. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1835268/v2 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1835268/v2 - Cusumano, G., Flores, G.A., Venanzoni, R., Angelini, P. and others (2024) 'Small Steps to the Big Picture for Health-Promoting Applications Through the Use of Chickweed (Stellaria media): In Vitro, In Silico, and Pharmacological Network Approaches', Food Science & Nutrition, 12(11), pp. 9295-9313. doi:10.1002/fsn3.4505 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.4505 - Ahmad, S., Ullah, F., Ayaz, M., Sadiq, A. and others (2022) 'Lipid peroxidation reduction and hippocampal and cortical neurons protection against ischemic damage in animal model using Stellaria media', Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 29(3), pp. 1887-1892. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.10.033 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.10.033 - Chak, P., Kumar, S. and others (2024) 'In Vitro COX Inhibitory Activity, LC-MS Analysis and Molecular Docking Study of Silene vulgaris and Stellaria media', Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, 83(1), pp. 1009-1020. doi:10.1007/s12013-024-01533-0 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-024-01533-0 - Chidrawar, V.R., Patel, K.N., Sheth, N.R., Shiromwar, S.S. and Trivedi, P (2011) 'Antiobesity effect of Stellaria media against drug induced obesity in Swiss albino mice', Ayu, 32(4), pp. 576-584. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.96137 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-8520.96137 - Rogozhin, E.A., Slezina, M.P., Slavokhotova, A.A., Istomina, E.A. and others (2015) 'A novel antifungal peptide from leaves of the weed Stellaria media L', Biochimie, 116, pp. 125-132. doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2015.07.014 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biochi.2015.07.014 - Slavokhotova, A.A., Shelenkov, A.A., Andreev, Y.A. and Odintsova, T.I (2017) 'Defense peptide repertoire of Stellaria media predicted by high throughput next generation sequencing', Biochimie, 135, pp. 15-27. doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2016.12.017 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biochi.2016.12.017 - Plants For A Future 'Stellaria media (Chickweed)'. Available at: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Stellaria+media Traditional / reference
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Stellaria+media - Chevallier, A (1996) 'The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=The%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Medicinal%20Plants - Grieve, M (1931) 'A Modern Herbal'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20Modern%20Herbal - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (n.d.). Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org Traditional / reference
https://powo.science.kew.org - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition - Ramsay, J.R. and Suhrbier, A. and Aylward, J.H. and Ogbourne, S. and Cozzi, S.-J. and Poulsen, M.G. and Baumann, K.C. and Welburn, P. and Redlich, G.L. and Parsons, P.G (2011) 'The sap from Euphorbia peplus is effective against human nonmelanoma skin cancers', British Journal of Dermatology, 164(3), pp. 633-6. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.10184.x Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.10184.x - Merani, R. and Sa-Ngiampornpanit, T. and Kerdraon, Y. and Billson, F. and McClellan, K.A (2007) 'Euphorbia lactea sap keratouveitis: case report and review of the literature', Cornea, 26(6), pp. 749-52. doi:10.1097/ICO.0b013e31805444e5 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1097/ICO.0b013e31805444e5 - Fleischman, D. and Meyer, J.J. and Fowler, W.C (2012) 'Keratouveitis from Euphorbia cyparissias exposure is a temporal phenomenon', Clinical Ophthalmology, 6, pp. 851-3. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S32209 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S32209 - Bonetto, Diego 'On the wonderful chickweed, and its poisonous lookalike'. Available at: https://www.diegobonetto.com/blog/on-the-wonderful-chickweed-and-the-poisonous-lookalike Traditional / reference
https://www.diegobonetto.com/blog/on-the-wonderful-chickweed-and-the-poisonous-lookalike - Schneider, D.J (1978) 'Fatal ovine nephrosis caused by Anagallis arvensis L', Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 49(4), pp. 321-4. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/752080/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/752080/ - University of California Statewide IPM Program 'Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) - Weed Gallery'. Available at: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/scarlet_pimpernel.html Traditional / reference
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/scarlet_pimpernel.html
Selected studies & references
PreclinicalIn Vitro COX Inhibitory Activity, LC-MS Analysis and Molecular Docking Study of Silene vulgaris and Stellaria media source↗ (2024)
PreclinicalSmall Steps to the Big Picture for Health-Promoting Applications Through the Use of Chickweed (Stellaria media): In Vitro, In Silico, and Pharmacological Network Approaches source↗ (2024)
PreclinicalPhytochemical analysis and gastroprotective effect of Stellaria media (L.) Vill. methanolic extract on piroxicam-induced gastric ulcer in Wistar rats source↗ (2023)
PreclinicalLipid peroxidation reduction and hippocampal and cortical neurons protection against ischemic damage in animal model using Stellaria media source↗ (2022)
PreclinicalStellaria media tea protects against diabetes-induced cardiac dysfunction in rats without affecting glucose tolerance source↗ (2021)
PreclinicalDefense peptide repertoire of Stellaria media predicted by high throughput next generation sequencing source↗ (2017)
All 14 studies in the Knowledge Finder →
Educational use only. This profile summarises traditional and scientific sources for reference. It is not medical advice and not a substitute for a qualified practitioner. Some plants carry safety cautions and drug interactions - always check before use.
This profile is assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database, which we curate by hand. How this site is built.
This profile is assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database, which we curate by hand. How this site is built.