Wikimedia Commons
Rubiaceae
Northern Bedstraw
Galium boreale
Rest and simple comfort.
- Family
- Rubiaceae
- Genus
- Galium
- Native to
- North America, Europe, northern Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 12-36 in
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- well-drained, rocky to loamy
- Water
- low to moderate
- Hardiness
- 2-7
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The name 'bedstraw' comes from its historical use as mattress stuffing; legend says it lined the manger in Bethlehem.
- It is in the coffee family Rubiaceae, making it a distant cousin of coffee and gardenias.
- Its tiny four-petaled flowers form dense, frothy clusters that appear like clouds of white lace.
- The roots produce a red dye that was used by Indigenous peoples of North America for basket weaving.
- Unlike many bedstraws, this species has smooth stems without the clinging hooked hairs typical of the genus.
Color meanings
0
comfort
1
rest
2
humble hospitality