Habitat
Type: hedges, waste places
Distribution: throughout northern hemisphere
Other: patch forming

General
Growth type: herb
Cycle: annual
Height: up to 2 meters or more
Other: clingy, sticks to clothes

Leaf
Shape: lanceolate
Texture: coarse
Arrangement: whorl of 6-8
Edge: fine barbed bristles

Stem
Texture: coarse
Cross Section: square
Other: straggly, tangled

Flower
Diameter: tiny
Arrangement: small stalked clusters from base of leaves
When: May to September
Colour:

Seed
Shape: round
Colour: green
Size: 4mm
Other: tiny, clingy bristles on surface

Contact with sap my cause irritation in sensitive people.

Consumption of the barbs may cause irritation. Cook to soften.

May be mistaken for Sweet Woodruff G. odoratum. See Collection below.

March to August - best March to June
all year
August and September

Parts with black and white icons are for non-culinary use

Flavour
Rating and Description:
bitter

How to Consume
cooked, tea, juice, leaf curd
roasted, sprouted

Special preparation
All parts: cook to soften barbs. Does not apply to juice and leaf curd.

Used as ...
food
food, beverage (coffee substitute)

Action:
Aerial parts: anticancer, anti-inflammatory, aperient, astringent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, hepatic, tonic, vulnerary

May treat:
Aerial parts: decoction, juice: cancer, cystitis, insomnia, glandular fever, ME, tonsillitis, hepatitis;
poultice: eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoea, ulcers, wounds and other skin problems

filter
red dye

Collection
Best in May and June when in flower.

Cleavers can be mistaken for Sweet-scented Bedstraw G. odoratum, a close relative. However, they are only superficially similar, mostly when Cleavers is young. Sweet-scented Bedstraw has a relatively short season (March to June), lacks the sticky barbs present on the entire Cleavers plant, and has a distinct smell of fresh cut hay when bruised. Take care in identifying this plant correctly, as Sweet-scented Bedstraw contains a chemical which may prevent blood clotting.

Plant parts:
leaf
stem or trunk
sap
root, bulb, tuber and other below ground parts
flower
fruit
seed

Parts with black and white icons in the availability section are for non-culinary use

Use:
culinary use
medicinal use
household use

Other:
caution

General Glossary

• lanceolate: shaped like a lance head; long, tapering to end
• whorl: ring of leaves around stem

Glossary of Medicinal Terms and Nutritive Substances

• anticancer: used in the treatment of cancer
• anti-inflammatory: reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc. (see also demulcent, emollient)
• aperient: mild laxative
• astringent: causes localised contraction of blood vessels and tissue, reducing the flow of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• depurative: eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood
• diaphoretic: promotes perspiration, aids the skin in elimination of toxins
• diuretic: increases secretion and elimination of urine
• febrifuge: reduces fever; use only for dangerously high temperature; a raised temperature is the body's way of burning up the pathogen
• hepatic: acts upon the liver
• tonic: improves general health, bringing steady improvement
• vulnerary: promotes healing of wounds (applied externally)