ExplorePlants

fragrant bedstraw

Galium triflorum

Fragrant bedstraw is a lovely plant that grows in forests and meadows. It has tiny white flowers and smells sweet, especially when you touch it!

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The fragrant bedstraw is a delicate, sprawling plant with slender stems and tiny, star-shaped, greenish-white flowers clustered at the tips. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves grow in distinctive whorls of six, making it visually unique among its ground-covering neighbors.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderGentianalesFamilyRubiaceaeGenusGalium
fragrant bedstraw
aromatic trait badgeflowering trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badgespring_blooming trait badge
fragrant bedstraw

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

Be the first to snap!

Interesting facts

Dried bedstraw was once used to stuff mattresses and repel fleas!

Its species name, 'triflorum', refers to its flowers often growing in groups of three.

Native Americans traditionally used its leaves to make soothing herbal teas.

You can crush its leaves for a sweet, hay-like scent, especially noticeable when dried.

Special abilities

Ability

Aromatic Shield

Fragrant bedstraw has a sweet scent when crushed, which might deter some herbivores or attract pollinators from a distance.

Ability

Hitchhiker Seeds

Fragrant bedstraw produces small fruits covered in hooked bristles, allowing its seeds to hitch a ride on passing animals for wide dispersal.

Measurements & details

Height
10-100 cm
Spread
30-150 cm
Flower Size
0.3-0.4 cm
Bloom Season
Late spring to late summer
Edible
Yes
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Commonly browsed by deer.

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Attracts honey bees for nectar.

pollinates

Common eastern bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Provides nectar for native bumblebees.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching or picking plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is fragrant bedstraw?

10-100 cm

How wide does fragrant bedstraw spread?

30-150 cm

How big are the flowers on fragrant bedstraw?

0.3-0.4 cm

When does fragrant bedstraw bloom?

Late spring to late summer

Is fragrant bedstraw edible?

Yes

Is fragrant bedstraw toxic?

None

What is fragrant bedstraw's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is fragrant bedstraw pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

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Where to spot

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