Q&A for How to Identify Chickweed

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  • Question
    Can you eat chickweed raw?
    Maggie Moran
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Yes, some chickweed can be eaten raw, although Mouse-ear Chickweed does need to be cooked.
  • Question
    What is chickweed and how do you use it?
    Maggie Moran
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Expert Answer
    It is a type of plant in which the leaves can be used for medicine. They help with constipation, stomach and bowel problems, and blood disorders, among other things.
  • Question
    What are the benefits of taking chickweed?
    Maggie Moran
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Expert Answer
    There are a lot of reasons people take chickweed such as for constipation and other stomach or bowel problems. Chickweed can also help with blood issues, lung disease, and even obesity.
  • Question
    What part of chickweed is edible?
    Maggie Moran
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
    Home & Garden Specialist
    Expert Answer
    The raw leaves are used in salads and sandwiches. They are also common in some soups or stews. If cooked, the stems and flowers both can be used safely.
  • Question
    Do all varieties of chickweed have white flowers?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    The types of chickweed detailed in this article all have white flowers. Common chickweed, field chickweed, star chickweed, and mouse-ear chickweed all have small white flowers.
  • Question
    How do you to eradicate chickweed in lawns?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    Hand pulling or chemically treating chickweed in spring will help to eliminate chickweed. Removing the plant before it seeds is important. If the weeds have reseeded for many years, it can take several seasons of treatment to remove. Chemical herbicides, like Roundup, can be used carefully but beware of unintentionally killing other species. Grasses will usually tolerate the application of chemical herbicides but read instructions carefully. When manually hand pulling chickweed be sure to remove as much of the plant and root as possible. Any root left in the ground can potentially continue growing.
  • Question
    What do you mean by " you can't eat mouse ear chickweed raw," I've done it before, why are not supposed to?
    Ninox
    Top Answerer
    It's because mouse ear chickweed leaves are furry. It can be very disappointing for a wide range of people but if you like it, there isn't any problem.
  • Question
    What is the best way to get rid of chickweed after identifying it?
    Community Answer
    You can pull it up by hand to get rid of small patches. For larger amounts, apply an appropriate herbicide.
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