Aptly Named "Cleavers"

Day 217: Galium odoratum is one of several Bedstraws which go by the common name of "Cleavers," and how aptly named they are! When in fruit, these plants carry dozens of small, round burrs which cling tenaciously to socks, boot laces and flannel shirt cuffs, to say nothing of attaching themselves to animal fur which assists in their transport to new locations. Galium odoratum is a non-native species, identifiable by the number of leaves in the whorl. Ten native Galium species are known to occur in Washington, as well as four which were introduced from Europe. Galium odoratum is fragrant, hence its alternative common name, "Sweet-scented Bedstraw."

Nuisance (Non)-Native

Day 204: May the gods of botany strike me where I stand, this represents one native plant genus I would not miss if it died out entirely. Its various species and subspecies can all be lumped under the common names of Bedstraw or Cleavers, and the latter is particularly descriptive of the obnoxious, sticky, amazingly persistent burrs it produces. Walk through a patch of Galium and you'll spend the next half hour de-seeding your socks and pantlegs. You might even find a tick or two because they love hiding out in the stuff (I learned the hard way). This particular species grows in the woods at the edge of my yard where I can keep it contained by mowing, but given half a chance, it would spread until it had subsumed the dandelions, crushed the hawkweed, suffocated the moss and crept in through my bedroom window to strangle me as I slept. Resistant to all methods I've employed to eradicate it, it's just waiting for its moment to take over the world.

Update: Confirmed that this is Galium odoratum, a non-native Bedstraw.

How Invasives Transport

Day 294: While we're on the subject of invasive and introduced species, I'd like to present an example of the process in action. While working on my Nisqually Land Trust site yesterday, I picked up litter and removed several old tires to a location where they are out of sight to await pickup by another crew. I had to walk through grass and weeds to reach the "drop" about 25 feet from the roadside. In the process, my clothing and shoes gathered an abundance of seeds, including those of Cleavers (Galium aparine). It is easy to see why Cleavers got its common name. The seed capsule is a round 1/8" burr covered in tiny hooks. While grass seeds can be rubbed out of socks and off trouser legs, Cleavers requires a painstaking, one-by-one removal. It took me twenty minutes to de-seed myself before going home.