Description

Heath bedstraw is a short, mat forming grassland perennial. In common with most other bedstraws it has a square stem with whorls of undivided leaves and clusters of small, white four petalled flowers. It is similar to Hedge bedstraw but differs in being more slender and creeping with slightly smaller leaves. The flowers form small clusters on the stem tips and in the leaf axils and not large terminal panicles as they do in Hedge bedstraw. Flowers from May to August.

Habitat Information

Heath bedstraw is a slow growing, mat forming winter green perennial of infertile acidic soils found on heaths, grasslands, rocky places and open woodland. It is moderately shade tolerant and can persist as an understory plant beneath tall grasses and heather, but thrives best within short, grazed sheep pasture. Heath bedstraw regenerates both vegetatively (by roots formed on the prostrate stems) and from seed (particularly in unshaded sites).

Growing Information

Grows readily from seed sown at any time of the year.