Natural History
There are at least 30 different bedstraws in North America, and many are perennials like smooth bedstraw. Reproduction is by seed and by underground rhizomes.
- Stems - Stems are smooth, wiry, 4-angled, branched, and up to 3 feet long. Stems initially grow upright, but over time they become spreading and matted.
- Leaves - Leaves are 1/3 to 1 inch long, linear, bright green, and whorled (usually, there are 8 leaves per node on main stems and 6 or 7 leaves per node on branches).
- Flowers - Flowers are about 1/6 inch wide, white, and consist of tiny, 4-lobed petals. Flowers form in branched clusters at the ends of stems and branches throughout the plant.
- Fruits & Seeds - Seeds are kidney-shaped, hairless, and dark brown.
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| Smooth bedstraw ttem - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food |
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| Smooth bedstraw whorls |
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| Smooth bedstraw showing flowers and whorls - Ohio State University |
The genus name, 'Galium' is from the Greek word for milk and refers to an old use for the plant to curdle milk in making cheese. The common name 'bedstraw' has two possible origins: the dried plant was used to stuff mattresses and it is said that bedstraw was placed in the manger at Bethlehem when Jesus was born.
Management Strategies
Manage hayfields by testing the soil and keeping nutrients and pH at levels where grasses and legumes will thrive. Apply nutrients and lime as needed.
Keep bedstraw plants from flowering, setting, and spreading seed, no matter which additional control option you use. In hayfields, try to get the haycrop mowed before bedstraw sets seeds. This will help control the spread, give the grasses a more competitive edge, and also provide you with a better-quality crop. Be aware of a second flowering and seed-production period.
Make sure to control the spread of seed. Mowers, balers, rakes, and tedders can carry substantial amounts of seed from infested fields to clean fields. Remove any source of seed from equipment when moving from field to field. Research is still inconclusive about the spread of bedstraw via manure applications.
Tillage and rotation is very effective in killing perennial crowns and new seedlings that may develop. Consider a weed-controlling cover crop such as buckwheat or sorghum-sudangrass hybrids as part of your reseeding regime. A new seeding will need optimum management to keep smooth bedstraw from reinvading the field.
Additional Information
Smooth Bedstraw -Virginia Tech Weed Guide
Commonly Found Weeds in Vermont Pastures - University of Vermont
Controlling Smooth Bedstraw in Hayfields and Pastures - University of Maine
Ohio Perennial and Biennial Weed Guide - Ohio State University
