Common chickweed belongs to the clove family. The annual plant is considered a weed in Germany, because it spreads particularly quickly like a carpet on cultivated land within a short time. Yet chickweed as a medicinal plant has many beneficial effects on various ailments and diseases.
Occurrence and cultivation of common chickweed.
In homeopathy, the plant components are processed in the form of flower essences, tablets or globules as complex and individual remedies. Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is an archaeophyte and native to northern and central Europe; it is a neophyte in North America. In northern Asia, the annual plant is equally common, but not as widespread as in the Western Hemisphere. Because of its flower form, the clove plant is also known as starwort. Other synonyms and vernacular names include chickweed, bird starwort, canary weed, mouse gut, and chicken bite. This fast-growing plant is hardy and hardy, withstanding even freezing temperatures and blooming even in the snow. Although chickweed is considered a weed, it is actually a boon to the soil, protecting bare, ripped or dry soil from erosion. It is a weak-base and weak-acid indicator, a particular nitrogen indicator, and brings a tidying character to nutrient-rich garden arable and weedy fields. The stems of this summer-annual creeping herophyte grow up to 40 centimeters long and remain mostly on the ground, where they form small, additional roots. The small leaves are ovate and pointed. A flower has about ten leaves, giving it a star-like appearance. The five white petals grow in two parts. In dry weather, they unfold in the morning. If you regularly observe the small star flowers, you can notice that they always open at the same time around nine o’clock. In wet weather, the flowers remain closed. Since chickweed also blooms in winter, it is equally called a winter annual biennial plant, but its occurrence is rarer. The flowers form capsules that produce a large number of seeds. The six-lobed capsule fruits hang curved downward from the plant stem and are capable of producing up to 15,000 seeds annually.
Effect and application
Common chickweed offers itself not only as a medicinal plant, but also as a supplier of food and stimulants, from which people like to prepare additives for wild vegetables, herbal curd, wild salad, spices, teas and soups. Its taste is reminiscent of young vegetable corn. As a medicinal plant, its effects are hemostatic, blood purifying, astringent, expectorant, cooling, itch relieving, menstrual, lactation stimulating and diuretic. It is used for cough, springtime fatigue, flatulence, hemorrhoids, joint inflammation, skin diseases, constipation. It is also used for respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, rheumatism, as well as for bruises, boils, eczema, pimples, ulcers and kidney inflammation. Prepared as a tea from the dried petals, chickweed stimulates metabolism, relieves respiratory infections and rheumatic complaints. As a porridge poultice, the clove plant has a positive effect on wounds that are difficult to heal, itching and eczema. Pharmacies offer ointments specially enriched with the active ingredients of chickweed. The collection season is year-round, as bird’s-eye stitchwort blooms even in winter when temperatures are cold. However, the preferred harvest time is in spring and summer. Essential oils, minerals, flavonoids, oxalic acid, mucilage, zinc, saponins, coumarins and vitamins act as ingredients.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
For naturopathy and alternative medicine, common chickweed is of great importance because it has an analgesic effect and can be used against various internal and external diseases. In homeopathy, the plant components are processed in the form of flower essences, tablets or globules as complex and individual remedies. These homeopathic agents represent self-confidence, tenacity and perseverance. In drop form, the medicinal plant is available as PHÖNIX Stellaria drops. It is a special homeopathic remedy from the spagyric therapy direction. It goes back to the homeopathic spagyric drug pictures, which includes degenerative and inflammatory processes.In addition to chickweed, a variety of other plant components are effective in these drops. Spagyric pursues holistic, medical treatment approaches. The natural healing method considers mind (Mercurius), body (Sal) and soul (Sulfur) as one unit. Common chickweed belongs to the clove family. The annual plant is considered a weed in Germany because it spreads particularly quickly like a carpet on cultivated land within a short period of time. The spagyric approach goes back to the physician and alchemist Paracelsus (1493-1541). He also used the far better known synonym alchemy. Homeopathic remedies receive the strongest substances of chickweed in a refined form through their potentization. Their therapeutic effect is stronger than the natural, plant source material due to dilution and subsequent potentization. These alternative medicines can be absorbed by the human organism without risk, as they have been freed from all toxins and harmful substances without losing their effect. 50 grams of chickweed can cover the daily vitamin needs of an adult. The clove plant resembles both spiny star chickweed (S. nemorum ssp. Glochidisperma) and water chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum). Both plants produce mildly toxic effects that can cause various ailments such as headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Therefore, when collecting Stella media, pay attention to its easily and clearly visible identifying sign, the one-sided hairiness of the stem, in order to avoid confusion with its poisonous “colleagues”. Stella media is compatible with all its components. For this reason, the whole plant is used and not only individual components. In unprocessed form, it is advisable to refrain from consuming excessive quantities due to the saponins and essential oils, as the plant components may cause minor discomfort such as nausea or headaches. However, when used in small amounts, common chickweed does not cause any adverse effects. Further, use of the plant parts should be discouraged if there is a known hypersensitivity to one or more of the ingredients.
