Galium gracile
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Partial shade
Cultivation
We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade.
Propagation
Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer. This plant does not really need any help to reproduce itself. Division in spring or throughout the growing season if the plants are kept well watered. 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.
Edible uses
Leaves - raw or cooked.
Medicinal uses
The whole plant is anodyne, antiphlogistic, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge. 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.
Material uses
A red dye is obtained from the root.
Habitat
Village outskirts, grassy thickets along ditches.
Native range
E. Asia - China.