Started by Arika Rapson (Island Herbal Consults)
May 18, 2026
May 18, 2026
1
Time to Harvest Cleavers!
May 18, 2026
Cleavers (Galium aparine)are abounding throughout the island right about now! And they have been for some time this spring if you've been out and about in the woods, but it wasn’t until today I finally saw some flowering (the tiny white flower is featured in the pic I’ve included here).
I honestly thought I had missed the flowering stage this year-so many things have been coming in early and I figured it must have come and gone before it was on my radar.
Does it matter if you catch them in the flowering stage? Well, if you’re going to tincture them, that is when many herbalists consider them to be at their peak of potency (although not everyone agrees on that-some would argue for getting them just before they flower).
Cleavers are a great little lymphatic herb and can be helpful to the bladder and kidneys as well. Think of them as helping clear out all the gunk in your system-nature’s spring cleaning at work in your body!
They are also high in vitamin C and chlorophyll (although drinking it as a long infusion would be a better option for extracting nutrients like vitamin C).
So are there any issues with drug interactions? Thankfully, cleavers are amongst the safest and gentlest herbs we have. However, they do have some diuretic action, so if you are also taking medications that are diuretics, it can amplify that effect. So that's something to be mindful of (especially if you are taking them at night).
Cleavers are native here on Lopez and throughout the Pacific Northwest, but luckily they are also found in abundance, making them a more reasonable option for wildcrafting. Even so, you always want to leave way more than you take, and luckily, you only need a small amount to make enough tincture for the whole year.
Cleavers are happy to use us to help them be so abundant-they are rather sticky and will stick to people, animals, or other plants to spread their seeds and move around. In fact, it was this sticky feature (made possible by their tiny hooks) in certain plants that became the inspiration for velcro!
This has got to be about the easiest herb imaginable to harvest-no digging, special tools or experience required. Just pull on some gently and a long, trailing piece of it will make its way to you. Easy for children and the elderly alike.
Unlike most tinctures, some herbalists advise only letting this one macerate for 1 week to get that super fresh taste of spring. It might be fun to tincture a little for 1 week and have another one going for the usual 2 weeks and then compare how they taste and feel in your body. Your body will thank you!
If you’re new to tincturing and want to read more about making one, check out this article from the Mt. Rose Herbs blog:https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/guide-tinctures-extracts
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
-Arika Rapson, MA
Clinical Herbalist
I honestly thought I had missed the flowering stage this year-so many things have been coming in early and I figured it must have come and gone before it was on my radar.
Does it matter if you catch them in the flowering stage? Well, if you’re going to tincture them, that is when many herbalists consider them to be at their peak of potency (although not everyone agrees on that-some would argue for getting them just before they flower).
Cleavers are a great little lymphatic herb and can be helpful to the bladder and kidneys as well. Think of them as helping clear out all the gunk in your system-nature’s spring cleaning at work in your body!
They are also high in vitamin C and chlorophyll (although drinking it as a long infusion would be a better option for extracting nutrients like vitamin C).
So are there any issues with drug interactions? Thankfully, cleavers are amongst the safest and gentlest herbs we have. However, they do have some diuretic action, so if you are also taking medications that are diuretics, it can amplify that effect. So that's something to be mindful of (especially if you are taking them at night).
Cleavers are native here on Lopez and throughout the Pacific Northwest, but luckily they are also found in abundance, making them a more reasonable option for wildcrafting. Even so, you always want to leave way more than you take, and luckily, you only need a small amount to make enough tincture for the whole year.
Cleavers are happy to use us to help them be so abundant-they are rather sticky and will stick to people, animals, or other plants to spread their seeds and move around. In fact, it was this sticky feature (made possible by their tiny hooks) in certain plants that became the inspiration for velcro!
This has got to be about the easiest herb imaginable to harvest-no digging, special tools or experience required. Just pull on some gently and a long, trailing piece of it will make its way to you. Easy for children and the elderly alike.
Unlike most tinctures, some herbalists advise only letting this one macerate for 1 week to get that super fresh taste of spring. It might be fun to tincture a little for 1 week and have another one going for the usual 2 weeks and then compare how they taste and feel in your body. Your body will thank you!
If you’re new to tincturing and want to read more about making one, check out this article from the Mt. Rose Herbs blog:https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/guide-tinctures-extracts
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
-Arika Rapson, MA
Clinical Herbalist
