Bedstraw, Common

This is a native plant, excellent for naturalisation. The base consists of fine, edible leaves growing in whorls, followed by small yellow flowers in generous clusters. These spread a wonderfully sweet scent! For this reason, dried flowers were formerly placed between the sheets to repel fleas. The flowers are widely used as a versatile dye plant in food and clothing, but also to separate rennet from whey in cheese (coagulate). Finally, the seeds can also be roasted to make a coffee substitute, and the flower tops yield a pleasant, bitter drink.

Names:
Latin: Galium verum
Dutch: Echte walstro
Also known as: Gele walstro
English: Lady's Bedstraw