Cleavers

January 17, 2016Plant Profilesurinary

Botanical Name: Galium aparine | Family: Rubiaceae

Common name(s): Cleavers, Clivers, Clives, Goose Grass, Bedstraw

GROWING

  • Annual; wild, considered a weed | Zones 4-7 | Creeping/climbing plant that can grow up to 6′ | Very small white flowers in late spring/summer | Small, hooked hairs on leaves and stems | Root can be used as a permanent red dye
  • Grows everywhere, likes moisture

HARVESTING

Harvest from spring to fall

PREPARATION / DOSAGE

Infusion: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 2-3 teaspoonful of dried herb and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Drink 3x/day.

Tincture: Take 2 – 4ml 3x/day

Juice: The juiced (or pulverized) plant is stronger medicine than an infusion. Take 1 teaspoon, 2 – 3x/day as a tonic, or can be used in external preparations (compress, cream, hair rinse)

Food: Can be eaten as a green, like spinach.

Oil: Infuse wilted fresh greens in oil and use directly or to make a cream.

MEDICAL

Constituents: Coumarins, glycosides, tannins, citric acid

Actions: Alterative, aperient, astringent, diuretic, refrigerant,tonic

Uses: Lymphatic cleanser, cystitis or gravel, bed wetting, to break fevers, skin conditions, like dandruff and psoriasis, but also burns and inflammations.

Combinations: Poke root* and echinacea for the lymphatic system; Yellow Dock and Burdock for skin conditions.

Cautions: Cleavers can cause a rash in some individuals. If you break out in a rash, DO NOT ingest the plant. Cleavers is also highly astringent and should only be taken internally for up to two weeks, then skip one or two weeks before taking again.

CHINESE MEDICINE

  • Bitter, cool

SOURCES 

*Poke weed (recommended in more than one source as a combination with cleavers) is a very powerful and toxic plant. Please read the information at the link provided. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.