Flower
Hedge Bedstraw
Galium mollugoAlso known as False Baby's Breath, Smooth Bedstraw, White Bedstraw, Wild Madder
Hedge bedstraw scrambles over neighboring vegetation with slender, four-angled stems, creating frothy clouds of tiny white flowers from late spring through summer. Whorls of narrow, smooth-edged leaves encircle each stem node, distinguishing it from rougher clinging bedstraws. Historically harvested and dried as fragrant, flea-repelling mattress stuffing, it continues to serve as an important nectar source for small bees and flower flies.
WildflowerPerennialFlowering
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
- Grazing livestock
- Hawkmoth caterpillars
- Slugs
ThreatsIntensive agricultural mowing, broadleaf herbicide application
HabitatsHedgerows, meadows, pastures, roadsides, woodland edges
Life spanPerennial (several years)
Classification
- OrderGentianales
- FamilyRubiaceae
- GenusGalium
- SpeciesGalium mollugo
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Stem inspection: Feel the four-sided stem gently to verify the smooth surface lacks the sharp clinging prickles of cleavers.
- Bloom observation: Look closely at the dense flower panicles in midsummer to observe miniature solitary bees and hoverflies feeding.
Herbivore (c) Smudge 9000, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Stefan.lefnaer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) zebedeugalinha, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Benjamin Flatt, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Benjamin Flatt · cc-by
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