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Chickweed is popular as a wild food. It's often found growing along the roadside, and wending its way through urban and farm environments alike. If you're keen to add it to your salad bowl, it's important to know how to identify it.

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  1. Identify Chickweed Step 1.jpg
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    Use the images provided with the article to assist your identification.
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  2. Identify Chickweed Step 2.jpg
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    Look for a sprawling plant. Chickweed grows in a sprawling fashion. It has a weak stem and each side of the stem is graced by a single line of hairs. These hairs rotate 90 degrees each time that the hairs meet a pair of leaves along the stem.
  3. Identify Chickweed Step 3.jpg
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    Look for small white flowers. These appear in the spring and the summer time. Each flower has five petals and the deep notching on the flowers can make it appear as if they have 10 petals.
  4. Identify Chickweed Step 4.jpg
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    Look for it where it grows. Common places include the roadside, gardens, vacant lots, and grasslands.
  5. Identify Chickweed Step 5.jpg
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    Harvest the leaves and new growth only. These are the parts used to add to salads or to eat cooked. The top of the plant is the best, as the base is woody or stringy.
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EditTips

  • A plant that looks similar is the Scarlet Pimpernel. It has square stems and red or blue flowers. It also tastes awful!
  • Chickweed has a subtle flavour and pairs well with stronger salad flavours.
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EditSources and Citations

  • Andrew Crow, Native Edible Plants of New Zealand – research source

Article Info

Categories: Planting and Growing | Sustainable Living

Recent edits by: Flickety

In other languages:

Español: Cómo identificar la pamplina

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