Spring - two of my favourite weeds

It's that time of year. Spring has sprung and along with it some of my favourite weeds. We have chickweed, Stellaria media, and cleavers, Galium aparine, both competing to take out the best ground cover. Both are Eurasian natives and are both annuals.

Chickweed is a plant my hens do indeed love and make short work of. It is something I will add to salads at this time of year. It is a cooling soothing herb both internally and topically. It may be juiced to take orally for peptic ulcers. Topically it may be made into a poultice where there are wounds, bites, burns, or itchy irritated skin.

Cleavers aka sticky willy, bidibid and a zillion other common names, is one the hens will eat. I more commonly find the seeds stuck in the cat's fur. This is a herb that has an affinity with the lympatic system and again with chronically itchy and irritated skin.

Chickweed, Stellaria media

Cleavers, Galium aparine