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Common Name: Northern Bedstraw

General Information

Galium boreale is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.45 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Northern and central Europe, including Britain, south and west to N. Italy and W. Asia.

Habitat

Rocky slopes and streamsides, moraine, scree, shingle, stable dunes etc, to 1050 metres in N. Britain[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.45 m
Pollinators	Flies, Beetles, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[]. Tolerates dry soils but the leaves quickly become scorched when growing in full sun[]. This species does not thrive in a hot climate[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, ].
A tea is made from the flowering stems[].

Medicinal

The plant is diaphoretic and diuretic[]. A decoction has been used as a contraceptive[].
A number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries[]. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry[].

Other Uses

A red dye is obtained from the root[, ].
The plant is used as a stuffing material for mattresses etc[, ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer[]. The seed can also be sown in spring though it may be very slow to germinate[]. This plant does not really need any help to reproduce itself.
Division in spring or throughout the growing season if the plants are kept well watered[]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.