The other week, I thought that the Cleavers were not so sticky and wondered whether it was just in the nature of their growing cycle. Now I have found hat the ‘non-sticky cleavers’ are, in fact Marsh Bedstraws (Gallium palustre) members of the same family. Marsh Bedstraws have hairless, square stems and tiny white four-petalled flowers. They like damp habitats.
Other bedstraws include Hedge Bedstraw and Heath Bedstraw, which are identifiable by their bristled leaves.
We definitely do have Cleavers scrambling over the drier parts of the garden including the water meadow bank that we call ‘Vole County’ due to the abundance of field voles and mice. The Cleavers have less significant white flowers, which have obviously escaped me and the ubiquitous sticky buds clinging to our gardening clothes.
Update – below is a photo of Cleavers (Galium aparine), showing their sticky burrs. Like the Marsh Bedstraw, the flowers were white four-petalled stars.
