STELLARIA MEDIA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CARE, DISEASES - BIOLOGY - 2025

Stellaria media is a perennial herb with a creeping or ascending habit, belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is commonly known as chickweed, birdseed grass, berrillo, toad grass, álsine, bird grass, maruja grass, goosebump, chicken grass, borrisol, mouse ears, lapilla, alley grass. In the indigenous language of Mexico it is called capiquí or caá piquí, among other terms.

It is a species easily recognizable by a pubescent row arranged along its stem. It is about 40 cm tall, and its stem is quite branched. The leaves are opposite, elliptical, their small white flowers grouped in a terminal top. The fruit is a capsule that stores numerous seeds.

Stellaria media or chickweed. Source: Kaldari

Chickweed thrives in rich, moist soils. It is native to Eurasia and is considered a weed in many economically important crops such as cereals, legumes, grasses, and similar plantations.

It has medicinal properties for the treatment of rheumatic pain, inflammation, rash and psoriasis. It can be eaten raw in salads or cooked. Its consumption should not be excessive since there are known cases of toxicity that have caused paralysis in humans, as well as problems in sheep and horses.

General characteristics

Appearance

This plant can be easily recognized because it has a row of trichomes all the way down the stem. At first glance it can be confused with other genera such as Drymaria and Arenaria.

Its size can be about 40 cm long, it develops a fairly branched stem and can root at its nodes.

Leaves

The leaves are opposite, petioled or subsessile, and the upper leaves do not have petioles. Their shape is ovate-elliptical, they measure 0.5 to 2.5 cm long by 0.5 to 1 cm wide.

Their apex is sharp, they have a rounded base, and their petioles can measure 2 cm in length.

flowers

It develops small, white flowers, supported by pubescent pedicels 1 cm long. They are grouped in a terminal top type inflorescence.

Their sepals are ovate or lanceolate, 3 to 5 mm long, their petals are split and shorter than the sepals. Produces 2 to 10 stamens.

Chickweed is easily recognized by a row of trichomes running the entire length of its stem. Source: wikimedia commons.

Fruit and seed

The fruit of this plant is an ovoid capsule, slightly longer than the calyx, and it produces numerous brown and reniform seeds. These seeds are approximately 1 mm in diameter, wrinkled, and have ridges on the dorsal part.

Chemical composition

Species: Stellaria media

Some of the synonyms for this species are Alsine media, Alsine apetala, Alsine avicularum, Alsine barbata, Alsine grussonii, Alsine repens, Buda media, Corion medium, Stellaria microphylla, among others. The name of this genus is due to the term stella, which indicates "star" due to the resemblance of its flowers to stars.

Habitat and distribution

Chickweed is a plant native to Eurasia, and has been naturalized in both North and South America and in temperate areas of the world.

It has been reported as one of the most successful weeds in more than 50 countries in the world and affects cereal crops, oilseeds, legumes, sugar beets, pastures and plantations.

In Mexico it is distributed throughout the country, except for the Yucatan peninsula. It occupies an altitude range between 2250 and 2900 meters above sea level.

It is a species that grows in rich and humid soils, being achieved by accompanying vegetable crops and ornamental species. It is also common to see it in greenhouses.

At other times it can grow on rocky walls or surfaces between 1500 and 3000 meters above sea level.

Stellaria media grows on rocky walls or terrain. Source: MurielBendel

Properties

It is used to relieve liver and spleen problems. To do this, take 13 to 20 g, cook in half a bottle of water and boil for 10 minutes. You can also consume the juice with lemon and add it to salads.

Chickweed extract is used as an emollient, and is used externally to treat inflammations and rashes.

Young shoots are eaten raw in salads, and can also be eaten cooked.

With regard to homeopathy, this species is used to treat rheumatic pain and skin problems such as psoriasis.

Otherwise, the aqueous extract of chickweed exhibits biological activity against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Toxicity

Just as this species has medicinal properties, it can also be toxic to certain animals. Cases of sheep killed by the consumption of Stellaria media in large quantities have been identified, since indigestible masses form in their stomachs.

Likewise, there are known cases of intoxication in horses from consuming it, or other species of the same family, possibly due to the presence of saponins.

In this sense, it is better not to abuse the consumption of this plant in infusions, since cases of paralysis in humans have also been reported due to the widespread use of these drinks.

Care

Its propagation is through seeds. Its life cycle is annual, and it begins to grow in late autumn. Its flowers are present throughout the year, especially in winter and autumn.

This plant is resistant to herbicides such as 2,4-D, MCPA and 2,4-DB. In contrast, chickweed is sensitive to picloram, dinoseb, trifluralin, atrazine, simazine, monuron, diuron, promethrin, linuron, and terbazyl.

Irrigation should be done 4 to 5 times a week in summer, and 2 or 3 times a week in the rest of the year.

The substrate can be universal, or one that has good drainage. As for its location, it must be in full sun, and it can be grown in the garden or in pots.

Chickweed has medicinal properties and can be eaten raw or cooked in salads. Source: Sanja565658

Diseases

The pathogens Euphyia unangulata (moth) and Macrolabis stellariae (dipteran) have specificity against Stellaria media.

Chickweed is also known to be an alternative host for some economically important pathogens such as the strawberry nematode Aphelenchoides fragariae, and others such as Meloidogyne ardenensis, Heterodera schachtii, Ditylenchus dispaci, Meloidogyne hapla, Longidorus elongatus, Pratylenchus, and penetransmus, Trchylenchus penetrans. Trichodorus primitivus.

Similarly, several viruses have been isolated such as tomato wilt virus, cucumber mosaic virus, and raspberry ring virus. The greatest danger is that it serves as a source of disease for other plants around it.

References

1. Vibrans, H. 2009. Stellaria media (L.) Cyrillo. Taken from: conabio.gob.mx
2. Blair, S., Madrigal, B. 2005. Tumaco antimalarial plants. Editorial University of Antioquia. 348 p. Taken from: books.google.co.ve
3. Iberian Flora. 2019. Caryophyllaceae, Stellaria. Taken from: floraiberica.es
4. CABI Invasive Species Compendium. 2019. Stellaria media (common chickweed). Taken from: cabi.org
5. Catalog of life: 2019 Annual Checklist. Species details: Stellaria media. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
6. Sánchez, M. 2019. Chickweed plant (Stellaria media). Taken from: jardineriaon.com