Galium palustre L.
Common Marsh Bedstraw
Marsh bedstraw is a slender, sprawling perennial of the madder family and a common native of wet places throughout Britain and Ireland. Its weak, square stems are roughened with tiny backward-pointing prickles that let them lean on neighbouring plants, and the small leaves are arranged in whorls with characteristically blunt, rounded tips, a useful feature for separating it from the sharp-leaved heath bedstraw.
About
Marsh bedstraw is a slender, sprawling perennial of the madder family and a common native of wet places throughout Britain and Ireland. Its weak, square stems are roughened with tiny backward-pointing prickles that let them lean on neighbouring plants, and the small leaves are arranged in whorls with characteristically blunt, rounded tips, a useful feature for separating it from the sharp-leaved heath bedstraw. Loose, branching clusters of small white four-petalled flowers appear over the summer.
It grows in marshes, fens, wet meadows, ditches and pond margins on a range of moderately fertile, damp soils, often in spots that flood in winter or after heavy rain, and tolerates both open sun and dappled shade. The flowers are visited by various small insects. As a moisture-loving species it suits pond-edge plantings, wet meadow restoration and seed mixes designed for damp or seasonally waterlogged ground.
Also known as
Common Marsh-Bedstraw · Marsh bedstraw · Marsh-bedstraw · marsh bedstraw
Synonyms
Galium diffusum · Galium fontinale · Galium glomeratum · Galium incarnatum · Galium masferreri · Galium montanum · Galium palustre caespitosum · Galium palustre eu-palustre · Galium palustre rupicola · Galium palustre submersum · Galium palustre tetraploideum
In our seed mixes
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.