Sticky willy is an annual forb in the madder family and is found in most of North America. It is unclear if it is actually a native weed but most sites consider it as such. It is also found in Europe, Asia and many other parts of the world. Galium is derived from the Greek word for ‘milk’ and aparine means 'clinging' or 'seizing'. It can be found in coniferous forests, deciduous woodlands, meadows, prairies, flood plains, disturbed areas, abandoned fields, and cultivated crops. In the southeast, it is typically found in riparian and floodplain forests. In some areas it can grow in the winter, acting more like a biennial. The plant can grow up to 6 feet, but with its weak stem, it cannot stand up on its own, thus clambering over other vegetation. Its leaves are distinctively arranged in whorls of 6-8. The stem and leaves have hooked hairs making it easier to climb over other vegetation. The fruits have bristles creating burrs that readily cling to fur and clothing. The flowers are tiny with 4 petals and appear in spring. This weed is not difficult to control if pulled or hoed out while small before flowering and seed production commences. However, it can be difficult to remove the whole plant as the weak stems break off leaving the root to regrow. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Weedy
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Narrow leaves with pointed tips appear in whorls of 6-8 (usually 8) and have recurved hairs making them "sticky"
Flower color
White
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Tiny star-shaped 2-3 mm flowers are light green to white and appear in the axils of stems or terminally. in spring to summer. Each cyme has 2-5 flowers with 4 petals and is visited by beetles and flies but are also self-pollinating.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Fruit detail
This is a schizocarp with 2 oval to round halves that are covered with bristles and contain 300-400 seeds covered in small tubercles. The burr attaches to fur and clothes for dispersal. It starts out green and matures to brown.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The stem is scratchy with recurved prickles on weak, four-sided stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North America, Northern Asia and Europe
Distribution
AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Wildlife value
Geese will eat the vegetation. Beetles and flies visit the flowers
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Stems
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Edibility
Stems and leaves can be cooked. The fruits can be dried and used to make a coffee substitute as it contains less caffeine.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Flowers were used to curdle milk for cheese making. The plant was used to stuff mattresses. The plant has been used in herbal medicine