COMMON NAMES : Our Lady's Bedstraw, Yellow Bedstraw, Maid's Hair, Petty Mugget, Cheese Renning, Cheese Rennet, Fleawort, Goosegrass, Gravel-Grass, Milksweet, Poor-Robin, Savoyan-Clabbergrass, Yellow Cleavers

ELEMENT : Water

RULING PLANET : Venus

GENDER : Feminine

MAGICKAL POWERS : Bedstraw may be worn or carried to attract love.

DESCRIPTION : Galium verum is a perennial that grows 1-3 feet tall. It has wiry, square stems.

The leaves are narrow, linear, 1/2 to 1 inch long and minutely hairy on the underside. They are arranged 6-8 leaves in whorls on the stems.

Bedstraw will flower in spring to late summer. The flowers are tiny clusters of yellow, branching from the main stems.

Plant has no odor but a bitter taste.

CULTIVATION : Bedstraw prefers deep, light, rich, well-drained soil. This plant will tolerate full sun to light shade. It is hardy to zone 4. Propagation is by seed or root division in spring.

PART OF THE PLANT USED : All parts of G. verum is used.

PLANT ANALYSIS : Constituents include glycoside asperuloside, gallotannic acid, citric acid.

MEDICINAL ACTIONS : G. verium is considered an alterative, anticancer, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, aperient, astringent, blood purifier, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, hemostyptic, lymphagogue, lymphatic alterative, mild astringent, mild diuretic, refrigerant, skin alterative, tonic, and a urinary tract alterative.

MEDICINAL USE : G. verum's traditional uses include : abdominal distention, abrasions, arthritis, bladder disorders, breast cancer, burns, cancer, cystitis, dropsy, dysuria, fever, furuncle, hematuria, hypertension, jaundice, kidney disorders, leukemia, lymphadenitis, lymphadenopathy, nephritis, obesity, psoriasis, skin disorders, scurvy, sores, strangury, tonsillitis, tumor, ulcer, urinary calculi, and cystic and prostatic irritation in older men.

Bedstraw has been used in combination with poke, echinacea or calendula for the lymphatic system. Combine this plant with yellow dock or burdock for skin conditions. It is often combined with bearberry for diuretic purposes.

DOSAGE : For an infusion use 2-3 teaspoonfuls of the herb to 1 cup boiling water. Infuse 10-15 minutes. To be taken 3 times a day, or as directed by a health care professional.

In a tincture, take 2-4 ml 3 times a day, or as directed by a health care professional.

MAGICKAL USES : Carry a sprig of bedstraw in a locket to bring love your way.

Use this plant in any spell or ritual for love.

HISTORY : The name Galium is from the Greek gala, meaning milk. The plant has an enzyme that causes milk to curdle. It was used in cheese making to make the milk curdle faster. The common name Cheese Rennet is from this ability to curdle milk. In the 16th century Galum was used to color cheese.

Bedstraw was once used as a dye and coloring for butter.

The common name of Petty Mugget is from the French petit muguet, a little dandy.

G. verum has a long history of use as a filler for mattresses. The stems stay flexible even after drying.

LORE : It is said Mary used a white flowering G. verum to prepare Jesus's bed. From then on it only flowered in a golden color. From this story we arrive at the common name Our Lady's Bedstraw.

Another version of the story says Mary used bracken fern as bedding, but this arrogant plant refused to acknowledge the Christ Child. Bracken gave up its flowers for this sin. Bedstraw was just blossoming at this time, welcoming the child, and miraculously its white flowers changed to golden.

If you gather bedstraw in early spring and cook it with mutton broth, you will loose weight.

CULINARY : The flowering tips, when distilled with water, are said to yield a pleasant summer drink.

It also makes an excellent vegetable.

OTHER USES : The stem and leaves of the Galium yield a good yellow dye. The roots yield a light red when alum used as a mordant, or purplish red with chrome.