Common Chickweed

Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is a bright-green annual weed that grows low to the ground, producing tiny white flowers with 5 petals. The stems are rounded, and the leaves are oval shape, ending with a slight point. Chickweed can quickly grow and smother a young ley or established grassland. It also occurs as an arable weed and is mainly competitive against winter oilseed rape, and spring cereals, although can also be found in abundance in winter cereals, as well as other crops.

Germination can occur at any time throughout the year, with up to three generations possible in any one year in winter cereal crops. Spring-germinating plants tend to die in the late summer months, and autumn-germinating plants survive over-winter in a low, dense mat.