Cleavers Plant Uk

The tender shoots can be boiled and buttered as a vegetable.

Cleavers plant uk. It was a useful plant in medieval kitchens because it could be picked in frost or snow. Cleavers is a scrambling. Cleavers galium aparine grow rapidly during warm weather the sticky stems are able to scramble around the garden smothering small cultivated plants and setting masses of seed. Food uses of cleavers.

Hairs and prickles cover most parts of this plant which make it cling to clothing and fur so familiar to walkers and gardeners. The plant s hook like bristles soften when boiled. The hooks on its fruits attach to animals and us to help disperse its seeds. A sure sign we need this plant during winter to help clear and keep our lymphatic system in good shape and to purify our blood.

Galium aparine aparine from greek apairo απαίρω από from αίρω pull to lift lay hold of or seize with many common names including cleavers clivers bedstraw goosegrass catchweed stickyweed sticky bob stickybud stickyback robin run the hedge sticky willy sticky willow stickyjack stickeljack grip grass sticky grass bobby buttons and velcro. Seed is set from july to october. Fresh seed has been reported to germinate readily. This plant is also known as biddy bid clivers goosegrass or sticky willy.

Its chopped leaves and stem can be made into soups and stews. Cleavers galium aparine there are young cleavers shoots coming up now in july. In particular cleavers are in the bedstraw family. Cleavers are in the rubiaceae family which consists of flowering plants in the coffee madder or bedstraw family.

There are upwards of 3 000 species in the rubiaceae family. Cleavers was once used as a potherb. Other names that cleavers are known as include sticky willy stickybud stickyweed kisses and clivers. Cleavers is a common annual weed native to hedgerows scrub and arable land which can spread to gardens on the fur of animals and clothing of passers by.

Populations can differ in their 1 000 seed weight. Infuse in a jug of water overnight or minimum for one hour. The average number of seeds per plant is 300 400 but counts of over 1 000 seeds per plant have been recorded. Cleavers can be used as a spring tonic making a refreshing drink.

It s usually introduced on the coats of animals birds feathers or human clothing. Cleavers is a climbing plant using the hooks on its stems to aid its scrambling progress. The square shaped stem supports small round fruits little white flowers and thin leaves in swirls of 6 8. Where to find cleavers.

Cleavers flowers mainly from june to august and is self pollinated. Cleavers is widespread except for some areas towards the north of scotland.