# catchweed bedstraw (*Galium aparine*) Catchweed bedstraw is a green plant that loves to climb and spread across the ground. It has tiny, star-shaped flowers and can stick to your clothes when you walk by! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![catchweed bedstraw](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Flowers_February_2008-4.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flowers_February_2008-4.jpg) ## Appearance The catchweed bedstraw has weak, sprawling stems that are covered in tiny, backward-pointing hooks, allowing it to cling. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves grow in whorls around the stem. It produces very small, star-like white flowers in clusters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Rubiaceae - **Genus:** Galium ## Interesting facts - Farmers used to strain milk through tangled bedstraw stems before refrigeration! - Its tiny seeds are so tough, they can survive being eaten by birds! - People once used bundles of its stems to make a comfy 'bed' or mattress! - Young bedstraw leaves can be cooked and taste a bit like spinach! ## Special abilities - **Hitchhiker Hero:** Catchweed bedstraw has tiny hooked bristles on its stems, leaves, and seeds that help it cling to fur or clothing for easy travel and dispersal. - **Climbing Companion:** Its weak stems use the support of taller plants and structures to climb upwards, reaching sunlight without needing a strong stalk. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-200 cm - **Spread:** 50-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring-summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Young shoots can be eaten as a leafy green - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit its small white flowers for nectar - **Depends on:** Stinging Nettle (*Urtica dioica*) — Often climbs on taller plants like nettles for support ## Traits - [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's safe to touch, but be careful not to pull it out of the ground. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify catchweed bedstraw? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is catchweed bedstraw? 30-200 cm ### How wide does catchweed bedstraw spread? 50-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on catchweed bedstraw? 0.1-0.2 cm ### When does catchweed bedstraw bloom? Spring-summer ### Is catchweed bedstraw edible? Yes ### Is catchweed bedstraw toxic? None ### What is catchweed bedstraw's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Americus Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/americus-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve - [Gary City Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gary-city-center-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mitchell-park-horticultural-conservatory) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park [View all places to see catchweed bedstraw](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/catchweed-bedstraw) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Catchweed Bedstraw: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/catchweed-bedstraw)