#galium

AKA clivers, catchweed, robin-run-the-hedge, sweetheart, hitchhikers, bedstraw, small goosegrass, sticky willy, stickyweed, sticky bob, stickybud, stickyback, sticky molly, sticky willow, stickyjack, stickeljack, sticky grass, grip grass, bobby buttons, whippysticks, and velcro plant. As you might guess the fruit are spread when they attach to a passing animals fur.

Galium was Ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides’ name for the plant, derived from the Greek for ‘milk’, because the flowers of Galium verum were used in cheese making. Aparine was used by Ancient Greek naturalist Theophrastus, and means means 'clinging'.

Native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and a noxious weed everywhere else. Naturalised in NZ since at least 1870.

In the same family as coffee, and the fruit has been used as a substitute. The leaves are also edible, but the hooked hairs make the raw leaves unpalatable. It was also used as mattress stuffing, and the roots for a permanent red dye.

Plant of the Day

Sunday 28 July 2024

In summer this meadow in Orkney was full of the 'frothy' flowers of Galium verum (lady's bedstraw) and the air was full of a sweet, honey-like scent. This perennial has been used in the past to stuff and scent mattresses.