Hello steemit friends.
I want you to know this.
Chickweed is already out in Tennessee! Commonly confused with Mouse-Ear Chickweed (not toxic but not as medicinal) and Scarlet Pimpernickle (can be toxic), here's how to easily and correctly identify Chickweed!
-Chickweed has ten COMPLETELY SEPARATE petals. Lookalikes usually have 5 petals that LOOK separate at the top but are in fact heart shaped.
-Chickweed has ONE fuzzy line of hair down the stem. The rest is SMOOTH. Mouse eared Chickweed is fuzzy even on the leaves. Scarlet Pimpernickle has HAIRLESS stems.
-Chickweed grows in dense bunches, NOT straggly vines.
Uses: throw on a salad or submerge in your next vinegar. Chickweed has a fresh, sweet taste and you can stuff fish or poultry with it, combine with fruit, etc.
Where to find: poor soil, I often find in neglected landscaping. Cool, shady spots. Chickweed is one of the first edibles to go when temperatures rise and the sun starts burning it.
Benefits: digestion, expectorant, metabolism booster, fat blocker, inflammation
Also use as a poultice for wound care.
Don't weed the Chickweed - EAT IT!
Let's try it.