The image, above, shows the full Lady's Bedstraw plant(Galium verum) top, left along with a close-up of the
leaves and stems, bottom left. Also shown are the flowers (top,
right) and unripe fruit (bottom, right) of the plant along with
a cluster of plants growing on a sand dune (centre, right)..
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Common Name: Lady's Bedstraw |
| Scientific Name: Galium verum |
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Other Names: Yellow Spring Bedstraw, Wirtgen's Bedstraw |
| Family: Rubiaceae |
| Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, to W. Asia. |
Physical Characteristics
Galium verum is a hardy Perennial herbaceous plant, growing to 60cm (2 ft) by 1m (3 ft 3 in) in size. It is hardy to zone 3 and is not frost tender. The plant flowers from July to August and seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by flies and beetles (they can also self-pollinate). The plant is noted for attracting wildlife.
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Edible Parts: Leaves, Young Plant Tips, Seeds |
 Edibility Rating: 3 
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 Known Hazards: None Known.
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Lady's Bedstraw along with all the Lady's Bedstraw containing recipes presented on this site, with 1 recipes in total.
These recipes, all contain Lady's Bedstraw as a major wild food ingredient.
Lady's Bedstraw, Galium verum represents a species of annual herbaceous plants in the family Rubiaceae (madder and coffee family) which is variously known as Yellow Spring bedstraw, Wirtgen's bedstraw. Anyone who's been walking in rough woodland will instantly recogize the bedstraw plant as the tendrils that clamber up banks and hedgerows. The stem of the plant (and the fruit) is covered in barbs that hook onto clothing. The leaves are formed from six to eight thin lobes and project laterally in whorls from the stems. The flowers appear in thin clusters of white corollas. The fruit are spherical nutlets hanging in pairs at the leaf axils.
Lady's Bedstraw, G verum is an annual herbaceous plant an erect aspect, where the tender young shoots are edible, either raw or cooked as a pot-herb (as it ages, it becomes bitter). Young growing tips make an excellent base for soups. The older stems can be dried for making tisanes and the seeds can be lightly roasted as a surprisingly good coffee substitute. I have also heard reports that the immature fruit are also edible, but have not personally tried them. In the past, the chopped up plant was used as a rennet for coagulating nut milks. Indeed, of the plants commonly called 'bedstraw', Lady's bedstraw is probably the most useful (and tasty) for the wild forager.
The plant is edible and the tender young shoot tips (before they become fibrous), can be finely chopped for inclusion into salads. Young stems and leaves can be cooked as a potherb (by boiling and then chopping) and can be cooked as a leafy green or it can be used as the base for soups and stews (older stems become stringy). The next time you're grubbing this weed from your garden, why not try eating it rather than throwing it on your compost heap?
Surprisingly the dried seeds of goosegrass make one of the best coffee substitutes I've come across (maybe not so surprising, as lady's bedstraw is a member of the coffee family)... simply take the mature seeds, dry them in the sun then roast lightly in a low oven before grinding. As well as the leaves, the seeds are also edible. These seeds can also be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute. The whole plant, when dried, can be prepared as a decoction and drunk like tea. The flowering tips can also be distilled in water to prepare a refreshing, tart, beverage.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
These recipes, all contain Lady's Bedstraw as a major wild food ingredient.
Lady's Bedstraw, Galium verum represents a species of annual herbaceous plants in the family Rubiaceae (madder and coffee family) which is variously known as Yellow Spring bedstraw, Wirtgen's bedstraw. Anyone who's been walking in rough woodland will instantly recogize the bedstraw plant as the tendrils that clamber up banks and hedgerows. The stem of the plant (and the fruit) is covered in barbs that hook onto clothing. The leaves are formed from six to eight thin lobes and project laterally in whorls from the stems. The flowers appear in thin clusters of white corollas. The fruit are spherical nutlets hanging in pairs at the leaf axils.
Lady's Bedstraw, G verum is an annual herbaceous plant an erect aspect, where the tender young shoots are edible, either raw or cooked as a pot-herb (as it ages, it becomes bitter). Young growing tips make an excellent base for soups. The older stems can be dried for making tisanes and the seeds can be lightly roasted as a surprisingly good coffee substitute. I have also heard reports that the immature fruit are also edible, but have not personally tried them. In the past, the chopped up plant was used as a rennet for coagulating nut milks. Indeed, of the plants commonly called 'bedstraw', Lady's bedstraw is probably the most useful (and tasty) for the wild forager.
The plant is edible and the tender young shoot tips (before they become fibrous), can be finely chopped for inclusion into salads. Young stems and leaves can be cooked as a potherb (by boiling and then chopping) and can be cooked as a leafy green or it can be used as the base for soups and stews (older stems become stringy). The next time you're grubbing this weed from your garden, why not try eating it rather than throwing it on your compost heap?
Surprisingly the dried seeds of goosegrass make one of the best coffee substitutes I've come across (maybe not so surprising, as lady's bedstraw is a member of the coffee family)... simply take the mature seeds, dry them in the sun then roast lightly in a low oven before grinding. As well as the leaves, the seeds are also edible. These seeds can also be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute. The whole plant, when dried, can be prepared as a decoction and drunk like tea. The flowering tips can also be distilled in water to prepare a refreshing, tart, beverage.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
The alphabetical list of all Lady's Bedstraw recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 1 recipes in total:
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| Hedgerow Salad Origin: Ancient |
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