Lady's bedstraw, Blofield by David Pilch 1/3
Lady's bedstraw at Great Cressingham by Emily Nobbs 2/3
Lady's bedstraw by Peter O'Connor 3/3

Lady’s Bedstraw Galium verum

Lady’s bedstraw is also known as yellow bedstraw because of its dense clusters of honey scented yellow flowers. It has creeping stems at the base with upright flower spikes 15 -60 cm tall. It is partly evergreen and has whorls of narrow green leaves on its stem.

Lady’s bedstraw can hybridise with hedge cleavers, a white flowered plant, producing a plant that has features between the two parent plants but with pale yellow flowers.

Conservation status

The plant can be found growing across the UK.

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Details

Did you know? In Radio 4’s long running radio programme The Archers lady’s bedstraw was voted the County Flower of the fictional county of Borsetshire in 2002 following a poll by Plantlife, the plant conservation charity.

Before the modern use of mattresses Lady’s bedstraw was a popular plant to use for bedding because of its springy nature and pleasant scent, when it is dried it smells of hay.
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