So Cleavers -Galium Aparine are everywhere at the moment here in Ireland & when a plant is in such abundance right on my door step I pay attention to it. Without fail Cleavers appear every year so it is worth getting to know this plant & all its values to you.
Spring Tonic is the first thing I think of when I see Cleavers appear in the hedge grow. It is a wonderful gentle Lymphatic cleanser used fresh,that will help clean up our systems after the winter months. If you find it early enough in the year you can pick some to add to salads before it becomes to tough & hairy. I gather it until it starts to flower in summer.
Cleavers work on the Lymphatic System, which is they system in our bodies that collect the waste from blood vessels & pass it on through our Lymph nodes to be cleanse & passed back to bloodstream. If the Lymph is clean & flowing well the body will be healthy.
Cleavers promote the Lymphatic flow & helps rid the lymphatic system of waste, so really Cleavers are like pipe cleaners!
So other than giving us that spring cleaning what can it be helpful with, Well it can be used for swollen glands, tonsillitis,adenoid problems & earaches. It also promotes the flow of urine so can be very helpful to reduce the heat & irritation of the urinary tract & the pain associated with cystitis. It is also rich in minerals, especially silica which is great for hair & nails.
What to do with it !! Well it’s simple go find a patch of it make sure the area has not been sprayed with pesticides grab a handful, I like to use the top half of the plant, wash it off under running water, then you have a few choices my favorite is too just add it to my water bottle of jug pour cold water over it leave it in the fridge for a few hours or over night, strain out the plant & drink the water that easy ! Or you could add some to a pot boil & drink as a tea.
A nice Tea recipe would be
2 Parts Cleavers
2 Parts Calendula
1 Part Mullein
1 Part Peppermint
SO GO OUT & PICK SOME & LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON .
HAPPY FORAGING