Catchweed Bedstraw (Galium aparine) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Cleavers, or catchweed bedstraw, is a sprawling annual whose stems, leaves, and little round burs are covered in tiny hooked hairs that stick to socks and fur. It grows across most of the United States and Canada and is usually considered native to North America, though some question that. It also goes by sticky-willy and goosegrass.

Appearance

Growth form: An annual with weak, square stems that sprawl or scramble over other plants, reaching about 4 ft (1.2 m).
Leaves: Narrow leaves, about ¾–3½ in (2–9 cm) long, in of 6 to 8, each ending in a sharp tip.
Flowers: Tiny white flowers, about 1/16 in (1–2 mm) across, with four pointed petals, in small loose clusters of 2–5.
Flowering time: Spring to early summer; May–June in Minnesota.
Fruit: A small, two-lobed bur about 1/12–1/4 in (2–6 mm) across, covered in hooked bristles.

Look-alikes

False cleaversGalium spurium

Cleavers has white flowers in looser clusters and somewhat bigger burs. False cleavers has greenish-yellow flowers in tight little clusters and smaller burs. The two are hard to tell apart in photos.

Why they get mixed upSame sticky whorled leaves and hooked burs.

Rough bedstrawGalium asprellum

Rough bedstraw is much more branched, has leaves mostly in whorls of 4 to 6, carries more flowers per cluster, and has smooth fruits. It grows mainly in wetlands.

Why they get mixed upIt is also a scratchy, scrambling bedstraw.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Moist woods and thickets
Hedges and fencerows
Gardens
Waste ground
Range: Found across most of the US and Canada, including Alaska. In some places it is listed as a .
Preferred conditions: Prefers moist soil and part shade to shade, and can grow where drainage is poor. In the US it is often found in burned areas, and controlled burns don't clear it from places where it is a weed.
Flowering: Flowers May–Jun
Flowers May–Jun

Life cycle

Seed dispersal: The burs hitch rides on clothing and animal fur.

Cautions

Cautions: The hooked hairs can irritate sensitive skin.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: Young stems and leaves have been cooked as a vegetable before the fruits harden. The roasted fruits have been used as a coffee substitute with less caffeine.