Common madder is an evergreen climbing perennial in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to Eurasia. The roots have been used since ancient times as a red dye. Madder grows 1.5 to 3 feet tall and wide in well-drained soils that are moist to dry. The leaves and stems bear tiny recurved hooks that allow the plant to scramble and climb among neighboring vegetation. Propagation is by seed, and germination can be slow. They can also be divided. The small star-shaped yellow flowers appear in large clusters in summer. They are followed by clusters of berries turning from red to purple. The leaves whorled around the stems in groups of 4 to 7. This plant is primarily grown for its roots, which produce a red dye. Grow on a trellis for best results. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
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.