Cleavers, An Important Plant For Moving Stagnant Lymph

Cleavers ( Galium aparine) go by many other names, including goose grass, catch weed and sticky willy, owing to cleavers many sticky hairs that give it its telltale feel when you touch it. The plant easily sticks to your clothes or skin. Cleavers have a sprawling growth habit, with square stems covered with fine hairs that grow 1 to 3 feet long. Leaves emerge from the stems in star-like patterns in groups of 6 to 8. I didn’t know that historically, cleavers were used to stuff mattresses! It makes sense because cleavers stick to everything.

Cleavers is best known as a spring tonic herb. It grows in wooded areas, gardens, landscaping and in grassy areas in the early to mid-spring when the weather is cool with regular rains. I have found cleavers growing profusely in my flower beds.

When I’ve had a plant show up repeatedly on my property, it warrants my attention. Why is she here ? What is she telling me? What am I not hearing? I know I need to listen to the plant.

What Are The Benefits Of Cleavers?

Cleavers has many health boosting properties such as anti-inflammatory, diuretic and febrifuge abilities. Through out the years, cleavers has commonly been used as a diuretic and a natural way to treat swelling and inflammation as well as many skin conditions.