Cleavers (Galium aparine)

One of the most common meadow and roadside herbaceous plants, cleavers is an easily identifiable native plant, and a fun species for acquaint kids with. It has myriad uses, though its use now is uncommon, both as an edible and in other applications (aside from literal application, as a prank pulled on fellow ramblers). It enjoyed widespread use among our Medieval ancestors, who benefited from its early appearance in spring both for themselves and for their livestock, rich as it is in micronutrients.

What it looks like

Look for cleavers throughout the growing season. Cleavers is a delicate, rambling herbaceous plant growing generally less than waist high on long, angular stems. It is not bushy, but can fill large areas. The whole of the plant is covered in tiny ‘hooks’ which it uses to climb through underbrush, and which cause it to ‘stick’ to clothing, skin, etc. Its green, roundish seeds, also ‘sticky’, easily come away on clothing, etc. as a means of seed dispersal for the plant. Its leaves are very narrow, growing in whorls around the stem (see photo). It’s flowers are small and white. It has no particular odour.

Uses

Cleavers has many uses. It can be cooked and eaten as a nutritious pot herb (it’s not so pleasant to eat raw), and has been used medicinally as a diuretic. One of its most valuable uses to our ancestors is as a dye herb, as the roots of cleavers could be used to produce a coral-pink to red dye for wool and linen, making a more commonly-available and less expensive dye-stuff which common people could use to achieve these highly-prized colours.