Bedstraw (Galium aparine) is a sprawling, annual plant known for its slender, square stems covered in tiny hooked hairs that cling to everything they touch. Its whorled leaves grow in circular clusters, and small, star-like white to greenish flowers bloom at the leaf nodes. Also called Cleavers, Goosegrass, or Stickyweed, it is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa but has become a widespread invasive weed across temperate regions globally.

Found in fields, gardens, hedgerows, and disturbed soils, Bedstraw is a flowering weed that thrives in shaded, moist environments and spreads rapidly by seed and vegetative growth. Its clinging nature allows it to climb over other vegetation, often smothering and outcompeting native plants. Despite its invasive behavior, Bedstraw has a history of traditional medicinal use and was once used to stuff mattresses—hence the name. Its tenacity and clinging growth habit make it a familiar nuisance in both wild and cultivated landscapes.