Herbs: Cleavers

Bulk Herbs: Cleavers
Crataegus monogyna
Size: 1 oz

Also known as:

Galium aparine, clivers, goosegrass. Barweed, Bedstraw, Catchweed, Cleaverwort, Coachweed, Eriffe, Everlasting Friendship, Galium aparine, Goosebill, Gosling Weed, Grip Grass, Hayriffe, Hayruff, Hedge-Burs, Hedgeheriff, Love-Man, Mutton Chops, Robin-Run-in-the-Grass, Scratchweed, Stick-a-Back, Sweethearts.

Cleavers is a pasture plant of Britain and North America easily recognized by its clinging leaves and sticky seeds attaching themselves to any animal or person passing them. The entire plant is used in herbal medicine, harvested just before it blooms in early summer. Cleavers is related to both quinine and sweet woodruff. It has no odor, and a slightly bitter taste. Native American tribes used it as a bath herb for women so that they would be successful in love; also as a hair tonic to make hair grow. According to French research in 1947, it is said to be good for lowering blood pressure.

Cleavers is a diuretic herb, the "Lasix" (furosemide) of the nineteenth century, used to assist ailing hearts by encouraging urination to reduce the volume of blood to relieve congestive heart failure. Herbalists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries reported that it dissolved kidney stones; however, neither cleavers nor any other diuretic should be used during an acute attack. Cleavers were also used in washes and cosmetics to remove freckles as well as for skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis.

In magick, Cleavers are ruled by Saturn and Fire.  It can be used for binding spells that mimic the plant's tendency to cleave and become attached.  Also a wonderful herb to use in attracting a new mate!

Keywords: relationships, commitment, protection, tenacity