Galium circaezans aka Forest Bedstraw

Galium circaezans belongs to the madder family, Rubiaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for many years. People call it licorice bedstraw or wild white licorice. Forest bedstraw is one more name for this plant. It is native to eastern Canada and the central and eastern United States. Its range runs from Quebec and Ontario west to Minnesota and Nebraska. It reaches south to Texas and Florida. It grows in a temperate climate. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant grows about 1–2 feet [0.3–0.61 metres] tall. Its garden spread can reach 2 feet [0.61 metres]. It has soft growth, though some plants become somewhat shrubby. Creeping rhizomes, or underground stems, help it spread slowly. The stems above ground are light green and square in cross section. The green leaves are lanceolate, with a narrow, lance-like shape. Fine hairs cover their surfaces. They form whorls, or rings, of four along each stem. Gaps lie between these rings. These groups of leaves help tell it apart from other bedstraws.

The flowers appear from May to July. They are tiny and light green. Each has three or four lobes. Each flower sits on a branch of the inflorescence, or flower cluster. It has no stalk of its own. The small blooms contrast with the whorls of green leaves. The flower form and hairy leaves help identify the species. It grows in woods where trees shed their leaves. The soil there ranges from dry to somewhat moist. Other sites include wooded slopes and open woods. It also grows in thickets and open limestone glades within its native range.

In gardens, give it part shade and well-drained soil. It thrives with sunlight that passes through leaves overhead. It grows in average soil but prefers loam rich in organic matter. It accepts dry to somewhat moist soil and copes with drought. Missouri Botanical Garden lists it for USDA zones 4–8. It is easy to grow but needs some upkeep. Rhizomes and self-sown seedlings can spread beyond the first planting.

Use it in naturalized areas, cottage gardens, or on slopes. Missouri Botanical Garden also lists sunny naturalized sites as a use. Its spread can make it too weedy for borders. Serious pests and diseases are not usual problems. Still, downy mildew, powdery mildew, and rust can harm it. Fungi may also cause leaf spots.