Chickweed

Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Spring has most definitely sprung in our corner of England, with hundreds of Common Primrose and Sweet Violets blooming in the lawn, Daffodils nodding on the bank along the edge of the property and Common Whitlowgrass waving gaily on the drive. And twinkling among the burgeoning grass clumps and weedy flowerbeds are dozens and dozens of the little white stars of Common Chickweed (Stellaria media). Native to Eurasia, this low, spreading plant has conquered the world, and is now found on every continent except Antarctica. Here in the UK, it's one of the commonest weeds in cultivated or otherwise disturbed areas. Though its flowers appear to have ten petals, they actually have only five – just five very deeply split ones. You can just make out the trio of styles (part of the flower's ovary) in the centre of the blossom; this is an important ID feature. Another key feature is a neat line of hairs that run up one side of the plant's stem. At every leaf node, the hairs change sides. (The picture below shows one of these lines of hairs.) Its leaves are oval and opposite, and its weak stems can be up to 40cm (nearly 16 inches) long. In warmer parts of its range, it's a perennial, but here it's an annual. As its name suggests, Common Chickweed was once used as feed for chicken and caged birds. In our garden, the Common Woodpigeons have been feasting on them. Humans can have a nibble too; the leaves can be eaten raw or stir-fried. 

Note the distinctively neat line of hairs