This week all about this fascinating plant known as Cleavers, Goosegrass or even; Sticky Willie! And some other important members with their uses are described too.
It can be annoying in gardens but there is one very good use I saw in a ‘permacultural run garden’ which used the plants rather as a disguise for the maturing fruits on Gooseberry, as well as other soft-fruit bushes. Once the fruits were ripe and ready to pick the entire clinging plant would be ‘peeled’ back and most of the fruit picked. Any leftovers were for the birds! Much friendlier than netting I thought and it is something I would like to experiment with this year!
This plant is in the Rubiaceae family which is number 110 in Stace. The Rubiaceae is a very large, mainly tropical family and is mostly woody in that climate, whilst in this part of the world they are mainly annual to perennial herbs.
Continue reading “Cleavers, Sticky Willie or Goosegrass and some more of the Rubiaceae”