Cleavers

 Cleavers  (Galium aparine)

Also known as, sticky weed, sticky Willy goose grass and about 1 billion other names.

This is a really common plant. It is found in most hedgerows, it’s easily recognisable as it’s one of the plants we all played with as it’s fun to throw on your mates back and see how long it takes them to notice.

It’s very sticky and by sticky I mean, it’s got a little hooked hairs similar to Velcro.

Cleavers is a superfood and is jam packed with vitamins and minerals. Some also say it’s very good for detoxing. It removes toxins from your lymphatic system. It’s also very gentle and soothing on skin and hair and makes good creams, lotions and hair rinses. It’s jam packed full of liquid, and if you’ve got really mucky hands when you’re out in the woods, grab a bunch and rub it between your hands until all the liquid comes out and you can clean your hands with the liquid, although they do get green hands. 

The seeds also contain a small amount of caffeine, and you can roast them to make a slightly caffeinated coffee..

identifying features forcleavers

• Tall, square green stems which have a groove down each side with a ring of leaves every few centimetres of the stem, the corners of the stem have a line of curled hairs.

• The leaves are teardrop shaped and have a little cold has, which makes them stick like Velcro to your clothes.

• It has very small white flowers that have four opposite petals that end in a sharp point

• The seats are small, Velcro balls Callum up are you?

If you have said yes to all these features, it’s likely you  have cleavers

Lookalikes for cleavers

Sweet Woodruff- smells of vanilla and isn’t Velcro like

Bedstraw- isn’t Velcro like