Cleavers (Galium aparine), Cut and Sifted, Certified Organic

BULGARIA. Cleavers (Galium aparine), Cut and Sifted, Certified Organic

Common names: Clivers, Bort, Bedstraw, Goosegrass, Catchweed, Stickyweed, Robin-Run-the-Hedge, Sticky Willy, Stickyjack, Grip Grass, Barweed, Hedgeheriff, Hayruff, Savoyan, Scratweed, Mutton Chops, Loveman, Goosebill, Everlasting Friendship, Zhu Yang Yang

Family: Rubiaceae

Cleavers is a creeping annual plant, native to temperate Eurasia and North Africa, and now found growing throughout much of the Western Hemisphere, Australia, and New Zealand. It prefers moist soils and occurs in waste places, hedges, and gardens.

This herb is easy to identify by its square stems, and the circular pattern the leafs grow from the stem. It is a low growing herb, and the undersides feel "sticky." This impression comes from its many tiny hooks or barbs, which allow the plant to grab onto other plants and grasses growing nearby and climb up to the light. Emily calls it "velcro weed"! A bright green, friendly plant, Cleavers has been an ally to humans for ages.

Cleavers has long been heralded as a safe, gentle lymph mover, helping the lymph nodes in cleaning out toxins, and regarded as a lymphatic tonic. Galium is also demulcent for the urinary tract, and has been employed for cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, and pyelonephritis.

It is astringent and used topically for inflammation of the skin, minor injuries and conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Poultices and washes with Cleavers have been used to treat a variety of skin ailments, wounds, burns, and stings, and it has been given both topically and internally for tumors. Cleavers tea is said to induce restful sleep in cases of insomnia.

Cleavers’ constituents include glycosides; alkaloids, including caffeine; phenolics; tannins; flavonoids; coumarins; caffeic, gallic, salicylic, and citric acids.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.