We are so busy sometimes that time loses its essence, and it seemingly just flows. We do not take our time to slow down and look at things closely. In some of my previous posts, I stated that sometimes nature forcefully slows us down. It is a forced-slowing-down. This is all the more relevant if you are a wild forager or someone who wants to start eating what people deemed to be weeds. One of these gems that grow all over the world, and I almost think right throughout the year in some places, is the common chickweed (Stellaria media).

After the common dandelion, this is probably one of the most consumed so-called weeds (I would just say herb). The reason for this is two-fold, one, it is so delicious and can replace common lettuce, and, two, it grows abundantly and can spread so quickly. The seeds are small and can easily spread if you are not careful handling them. But the flowers are so beautiful once you bend down to look at it and appreciate the beauty.

In this post, I will, firstly, help you identify this plant, because there is one plant that might look similar to the untrained eye to common chickweed, namely, Scarlet/blue Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis). Secondly, I will be more philosophical and give my take one the benefits of knowing and looking closely. I hope that you will read on and that you might learn something!

Warning, or Word of Caution

So-called weeds are nutritious and on the comeback in many people’s diets. However, identifying plants before you consume them is so important, I cannot overstate it. In this post, I will discuss two plants that look very similar. The untrained eye might see them as the same plant. There are some sources claiming that Scarlet/blue Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) can be poisonous, but others claim it can be eaten. I have yet to find reliable sources. But do your own research, and never ever eat something that you did not identify yourself. Also, do not eat any plants that you are not sure of the quality of medium it is growing in. Plants can store compounds in their roots, leaves, stems, and flowers that might be toxic to us if they grow in a toxic environment. Please do your own research and do not go into this without having proper knowledge. The likelihood of consuming something lethal is very low, but there is always the chance. It is fun exploring the world of edible plants, do it consciously. This post is not meant to be a source of knowledge as such, it is merely my musings and findings from my own experience throughout the years. Now on to the actual post!

Looking Closely: Identifying Chickweed and Scarlet Pimpernel

Chickweed Taste: Think Baby Corn

If you have been following my food-related posts, you will see the familiar white flower in various of my food creations. (See, for example, this salad I made last week.) I love to use chickweed for its taste but also its presentation utility. It has a beautiful flower that works so well on open-faced sandwiches. It pairs so well with more bitter plants, such as the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia). It has a very mild sweet crisp taste. In my country of South Africa, we have “baby corn” (see the link to a local store in which you can buy it). People eat baby corn as a snack, put it in salads or we use it mostly in stews. If you have ever had baby corn, you will know the taste. Chickweed, to me, tastes exactly like baby corn. But here is a quick guide I use to identify chickweed. Again, do your own research and know what you are doing before you do it.

Identify Chickweed: Five Key Identifiers

1. The Flower

The flower has 5 petals that are in a kind of “V” shape. It thus looks like 10 petals, but it is only 5. Look closely, examine, take your time to slow down and appreciate the beauty of this delicate flower as you are trying to identify it.

2. The Hairy Stems

Chickweed has hairy stems. It interchanges from side to side; it doesn’t cover the whole stem. This is one of the key identifying markers.

3. The Inner String

Pulling ever so slightly on the stem, you will reveal an inner “string” that is kind of elastic. This is a tedious one to identify chickweed on, but the scarlet pimpernel, for example, does not have it.

4. It Grows in Patches

This is not the best identifying marker, but it usually grows close to other chickweed plants. It can easily take over vast patches due to its small seeds and also the vast amounts of seeds one plant can produce.

5. The Taste

Chickweed is sweet, crisp, and refreshing. The close lookalike, scarlet pimpernel, is very bitter. If you wrongly harvested scarlet pimpernel instead of chickweed, you would know due to the extreme bitterness.

Scarlet Pimpernel and Chickweed

I have a variety that has blue flowers; blue pimpernel (Lysimachia monelli, the blue pimpernel). Firstly, the underside of the leaf has black spots, which is one of the main giveaways, after the fact that the flower is not white. Some have claimed that there is white pimpernel as well, but the black dots on the underside is one of the main giveaways. See this video for a more in-depth look at the differences. The two plants really do look alike to the untrained eye, but as you might have guessed, the hairy stems is not present, on the pimpernel, nor the elastic string. Also, as noted, the flowers differ in color, and the pimpernel has the black dots on the underside of the leaves.

Here you can clearly see the black spots on the underside of the leaves.

I found these ones growing in my grass patch. They are not the healthiest looking ones, as I do not water this grass patch. I am lucky that the chickweed grows prolific and the pimpernel is not that prolific.

Side by side, you can clearly see the difference.

However, here you can actually see how similar looking they are. I did pick the leaves in this manner so that they look very similar, but if your eyes are trained and you know how to successfully identify chickweed, these differences will again be very visible.

Some Philosophical Musing: Looking, Slow Down and Understand

Knowledge is power. Knowing how to identify chickweed (a type of knowledge) will give you the power and confidence to pick this nutritious plant. It will also “force” you to slow down and look at the plant. In identifying it, you would need to slow down, forcing yourself to look, to become acquainted with the plant. Slowing down in our fast-paced lifestyle, might not be suited for everyone. But it can be something you learn to do. Or in other words, by appreciating the so-called weeds and by learning their names and their identifying markers, you will slow down. You might not always be aware and conscious of this slowing down, but it will happen. It will affect your way of being in the world, you will appreciate the minute and small details of plants and, inadvertently, other things in life. The warmth of the sun on your skin, the taste of water, the smell of flowers, the things people often overlook will become important to you.

Slow down, take your time to learn new things, and appreciate the small things. Do your own research, become confident in your knowledge, and be cautious. I hope that you found some useful information in this post, and that it might help you on your journey. Let the seeds of wisdom take root and grow in your life. Take care and be safe.

(All the photographs are mine, taken with either my Nikon D300 or iPhone. The information provided in this post is also my interpretations and readings of other people's work.)