Scientific Name: Galium aparine
Common Name: northern bedstraw, cleavers
Family Name: Rubiaceae
Origin: Europe
Hardiness Zone: Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Plant Type: Annual, Vine or climber, Weed (horticultural)
Mature Size: 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.6 - 1.0m (height x width)
Habit: Arching, Irregular, Open, Pendulous, Spreading
Form: Climbing, Irregular
Texture: Fine
Landscape Uses: Herb, Medicinal plant
Exposure: Full sun, Filtered shade
Soil or Media:
Leaves: Simple, Whorled, Soft flexible, Glandular hairs, Linear, Oblanceolate, Ciliate
Flowers: Cyme, White, May-Jun
Fruit: Nut, Schizocarp, Brown, Aug-Sep
Key ID Features:
Leaves on stem usually in whorls of 8, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, bristly hairs, margins entire, 1-4(-7)cm long; flowers about 2mm wide with 4 white petals, in terminal clusters of 3-5; fruit dry, bristly, splits into nut-like mericarps each about 4mm wide.