Galium verum
Lady's bedstraw
Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia
Overview
Galium verum is a slender, mat-forming to upright perennial growing 6-39 inches (15-100 cm) tall from creeping rhizomes, with wiry four-angled stems. The narrow, almost needle-like leaves are 0.4-1 inch (10-25 mm) long, dark green and glossy above, arranged in whorls of 8-12 around the stem. Dense, branched clusters of many tiny bright yellow four-petaled flowers about 0.1 inch (2-3 mm) across appear from June to September and carry a scent of honey when fresh and of new-mown hay when dried. The fruit is a small smooth two-parted nutlet. Plants spread by rhizomes to form patches in grassland and on dunes and banks. The dried foliage was once used to stuff mattresses and to curdle milk in cheesemaking, and the roots yield a red dye. It tolerates poor, dry, lime-rich soils and full exposure. Stems can sprawl and flop on rich soil or in shade. Foliage dies back over winter and regrows in spring.
Native Range
Native to Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia. Naturalized in North America and other temperate regions. Grows in dry grassland, meadows, hedge banks, sand dunes, and roadside verges on well-drained, often calcareous soils.Suggested Uses
Used in wildflower meadows, dry and gravel gardens, and naturalistic grassland, spaced 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart. Suits dune, bank, and meadow plantings on poor, well-drained soils. The dried foliage is used in scented sachets and was traditionally used to curdle milk in cheesemaking.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 3'3"
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Bloom Information
Flowers from June through September, peaking in midsummer. The small yellow flowers open together in dense clusters over 6-8 weeks. Bloom is heavier in full sun and on poor, dry soils.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight