Cleavers: Nature’s Gentle Detoxifier

Lately, I’ve been really fascinated by cleavers (Galium aparine). It seems to grow more and more each day, with its little rosettes of lance-shaped leaves and that classic clingy nature, always finding a way to climb through thick hedgerows and reach for the daylight.

Galium aparine (Cleavers) is considered to be under the influence of the Moon, due to its cooling and moistening qualities, and Venus, for its gentle action on the lymphatic and urinary systems. These planetary associations align with its traditional use as a mild diuretic and lymphatic tonic, supporting the body’s natural elimination pathways.

Cleavers is particularly valuable in the spring, when the body benefits from gentle detoxification after winter. Its ability to promote lymphatic drainage, reduce puffiness, and support kidney function makes it an excellent herb for seasonal cleansing and systemic support.

Cleavers is particularly effective in cases involving fibrous tissue and fluid stagnation, especially within the lymphatic system, kidneys, and bladder. According to the doctrine of signatures, its small swollen nodes along the stem resemble lymph nodes, suggesting its affinity for lymphatic health. I often use cleavers to support conditions such as fibrocystic breasts, lymphatic congestion, edema (including swelling in the hands and feet), and skin eruptions like eczema.

Phytochemical analysis of Galium aparine has shown that the plant contains a range of active constituents, including phenols, tannins, alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, iridoids (such as asperuloside), alkanes, flavonoids, and saponins. Previous pharmacological studies have demonstrated that extracts of Galium aparineexhibit antimicrobial, anticancer, and hepatoprotective properties.

Cleavers is best gathered before it goes to seed, with ideal harvesting times being in spring, particularly throughout May and June. The whole aerial part of the plant is traditionally used. Interestingly, Mrs. M. Grieve notes in A Modern Herbal that the roots yield a red dye, and when eaten by birds, can even tint their bones a reddish hue! The seeds have a distinctive coffee-like flavour and have been used in Sweden as a coffee substitute.

This time of year is perfect for making a variety of homemade preparations with fresh cleavers. Its subtly sweet, slightly salty taste with a hint of vanilla makes it a unique and enjoyable spring herb. Renowned herbalist Matthew Wood notes that the plant's sweet taste is attributed to its coumarin compounds, though not as intensely as in other herbs like sweet woodruff. 

Just a quick note: cleavers is not recommended to be eaten raw in dishes due to its tiny hooks, which help it cling to things. If not chopped finely or pureed, these hooks can get caught in your throat. For this reason, it's best to consume cleavers fresh in juices or cooked, allowing you to enjoy its flavors safely.

Below are a few simple ideas you can try out, perfect for enjoying over the Easter holiday.

• Cleavers Juice: If you have a juicer at home, now is the perfect time to put it to good use! Create a refreshing and nourishing spring tonic with a handful of fresh cleavers, a handful of young nettle tops, two apples, a chunk of fresh ginger root, and a generous squeeze of lemon. It's a simple way to support your system as the seasons shift.

• You can use cleavers in your cooked dishes just like you would with fresh parsley or coriander. Simply mince ½ cup of fresh cleavers and add it to your soups, stews, or even while cooking your whole grains for a fresh, herbal boost.

• Cleavers doesn't retain its full properties when dried, so I recommend making an infusion with fresh herbs. For the most therapeutic effect, prepare a cold infusion by placing fresh cleavers in room temperature water overnight. Strain it the next day, and enjoy the benefits of this refreshing herbal drink.

• Cleavers and nettle pesto: Here's a delicious pesto recipe featuring nettle, with a suggestion for a vegan option.

• Cleavers Lemonade: This is a refreshing drink recipe perfect for the upcoming summer months, where homemade preparations are the best choice for staying hydrated.

  
  

As a personal note, the clinging nature of Cleavers (Galium aparine) has always struck a chord with me. This plant began to show up more vividly in my life during a time when I had asked the plant realm for support with a deep emotional process. Its way of grasping onto everything around it felt like a mirror of my own experience, holding tightly to old patterns, memories, and attachments.

In Bioneuroemotion, a method developed by Enric Corbera, the body is seen as a reflection of our unconscious emotional conflicts, especially those tied to early relationships and attachment wounds. From this perspective, the lymphatic system, which Cleavers is known to support, can represent our ability to "let go" and process what we no longer need. Swelling, stagnation, or congestion in the lymph might symbolically reflect emotional residues that haven't yet found a way out, those clinging parts of ourselves that long to be released.

Cleavers, with its gentle yet persistent nature, seems to whisper that healing often begins with the willingness to unhook and soften what we once clung to for safety.

A little note of care: Cleavers has natural diuretic properties, so if you have diabetes or any condition where increased urination could be an issue, it’s best to go gently. As always, it’s a good idea to check in with a qualified health practitioner before adding any new herbs to your routine.

References:

Al-Snafi, Ali. (2018). Chemical Constiuents and Medical Importance of Galium Aparine- A Review. 10.5281/zenodo.1210517.

Garg SS, Gupta J, Sharma S, Sahu D. An insight into the therapeutic applications of coumarin compounds and their mechanisms of action. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2020;152:105424. doi:10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105424

Grieve, M. (Maud). A Modern Herbal; the Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses. New York :Harcourt, Brace & company, 1931.

Hoffmann, David. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press, 2003.

Ilina, Tetiana et al. “Immunomodulatory Activity and Phytochemical Profile of Infusions from Cleavers Herb.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 25,16 3721. 14 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/molecules25163721

Wood, Mathew. The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism. Basic, Doctrine, Energetics and Classification. North Athlantic Books, 1954