I think we’ve all noticed this sticky “weed” in our flower beds and gardens. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, it is a THING. This sticky plant is Cleaver.  Scientifically known as Galium Aparine. It’s known by quite a few other names as well, Catchweed, Clivers, Sticky Willy, Robin-run-the-hedge, and Sticky Bob. Actually, the list goes on with names.

It clings to our legs when it touches us, AND when we try to remove it… It clings to our hands.  While this is a frustrating plant at times, It grows (pun intended) like a weed.  It uses its sticky bobs to grasp on and help it climb and can grow up to 1.5 meters tall.  An interesting thing about it is that it will stick to animals in a forest and may drop off in a different area.  Thus, spreading its seeds for more growth the next year. I have it growing in my Iris’s and throughout my yard. We don’t use pesticides, so the cleaver I harvest, I know is safe and free from chemical.

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Our bodies can benefit from this weed in so many ways. There are so many things it is good for. So, to begin with. Harvest it. The window is large. Early spring to late fall. As with all herbs, they are more tender the newer they are. But either way still pack a punch. Try to harvest before the flowers and seeds set in. I trim near the base with a scissors. Give it a good shake, rinse with fresh water to get any bugaloo’s or dust off. This can be used freshly picked or you can dry it as you would any other herb or plant. I sometimes grab the ends, tie an elastic around them so that it shrinks with the stems as they dry. Take a lunch size paper bag. cut a big slit in the bottom of it. Place the stems through the bag and through that hole. Clip the elastic on to your drying line and it keeps added dust off as they dry. Maybe it’s not enough to make a difference. But in my head, makes it feel fresher for me.

Nutritional and health value of this amazing sticky plant.

Cleaver is high in fiber and offers very low calories. Studies have shown that it helps reduce fat absorption in your body. They contain magnesium, potassium and other minerals. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, as well as calcium.

It helps with the balancing and assisting our lymphatic system, swollen glands, tonsillitis. It’s a mild diuretic, promoting production of urine, assisting our kidneys as well as liver. Using this plant helps cleanse your blood, lower your blood pressure. Has healing properties for healing dry, itchy, skin rash; eczema and psoriasis and other conditions.

Different ways to take advantage of this versatile “weed”.

Here are links to recipes for poultices, teas, tinctures, balms, pet treats and more.

___________________________________Hot day Chicken treat

If you are raising chickens, ducks or geese on your property. They love to peck at this.

Recipe: Dandelion heads and leaves.  Cleaver chopped up, other 

weeds from your garden or from your kitchen.  Anything you have peeled and don’t use from veggie prep in the kitchen.

Get an ice cream bucket, old clean milk carton or just a bowl or tub. Fill the container half to three quarters full of plants.  Pour water over that, leaving a couple inches from the top.  Push down any floaty plants if you can, but it’s not necessarily all that important. If the plants bunch together, you can try to spread them out a bit.

Freeze.

Once frozen, you take it out of the container and throw it in your coop or where your birds graze.  They love to peck and eat from this. It’s healthy, refreshing and fun for them. You can also freeze it in a round cake pan that has the hole in the middle.  Place a rope thru that once it’s frozen and hang it for them to peck at.

__________________________________________Extra vitamins for your dog

You can add cleavers to your dog’s food as well.  Rinse and then dry it, and crumble it over their meal.  Adds extra vitamins. You can also add it fresh, rinsed and chopped up.

____________________________________________For our use 

It has many health benefits. It helps balance and boost our Lymph system, it stimulates our kidneys aiding in eliminating excess water in our urinary tract,  aids our liver, can clear skin issues and is a great diuretic. It can be prepared as tea, tincture, poultice, salve and even a coffee alternative.

• Juice: 3 to 15 milliliters (ml), three times per day
• Herbal tincture: 30 to 60 drops of a 25% alcohol solution taken three times per day
• Tea: 2 to 4 grams infused in 60 to 120 ml of water, three times per day

Fresh cleavers are best, dried is second best.instead of dried when possible. You can blend the herb in a blender, extract its liquid in a juicer, or mash it to squeeze out the natural juices.

Blending with water is the easiest method, as juicing will yield a very limited volume. If you don’t use it immediately, you can preserve the liquid by freezing it in an ice cube tray or mixing it with 25% alcohol.