Galium triflorum
| Galium triflorum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Galium triflorum (common name: fragrant bedstraw)
Propagation: Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer[1]. The seed can also be sown in situ in the spring though it may be very slow to germinate[1].
Division in spring. The plant can be successfully divided throughout the growing season if the divisions are kept moist until they are established[1]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Cultivation: Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[1]. Tolerates dry soils but the leaves quickly become scorched when growing in full sun[1]. This species does not thrive in a hot climate[1].
Range: Circumboreal.
Habitat: Moist woods near sea level, to moderate elevations in the mountains in Western N. America.
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked[2][3].
A tea is made from the flowering stems[3].
Medicinal: An infusion of the plant has been used in the treatment of gallstones and kidney complaints[4].
A poultice of the whole plant has been used to treat backaches in babies[4].
A number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries[5]. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry[5].
Usage: A red dye is obtained from the root[6].
The plant is aromatic. It has been crushed and used as a perfume, particularly by women[4]. The aroma is given off as the plant dries[4].
A poultice of the whole plant has been rubbed on the scalp to encourage hair growth[4].
The plant is used as a stuffing material for mattresses etc[3].
Pollinators: Flies, beetles, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Schofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.