sticky weed (cleavers) foraging

Oscar Boatfield
Jun 15
2 min read

You might know this plant better as the thing you used to pick at primary school and see how much you could stick to your friends clothes without them noticing.

What most of us didn't know at primary school was that this plant is a brilliant wild food.

What does it look like

Cleavers have long, square, straggly stemsof up to 1m in length. Around the stems are a whorl of slender leaves. Both the stems and leaves are covered in tiny hooks, which tend to catch onto clothing and fur (hence the name). In late spring to summer, they’ll have small white, four petalled flowers, which turn into prickly burrs in autumn.

What can you confuse it with

Be careful not to confuse cleavers with lady’s bedstraw or sweet woodruff—they don’t have the sticky, prickly leaves.

Where does it grow

Cleavers love hedgerows, paths, waste ground, and woodlands and can be found all year round. You’ll spot them growing low along the ground, often next to nettles.

When to collect it

Avoid areas of high foot fall and along roads as you will get contaminants from canine friends and car muck.

The young shoots and stems are the best and most edible.

What delicious things can you make with it

The leaves and stems are edible
Cooked leaves taste like young peas with a grassy, herbal kick.
Herbal infusions: Make a spring tonic by soaking the leaves in water for 24 hours, or add them to vinegar and smoothies.
Best used fresh, as cleavers have a high water content and wilt quickly.