Sprawling native meadow perennial with whorls of needle-like leaves and dense clouds of tiny yellow flowers in midsummer. Aerial parts yield a yellow dye and the roots yield a red dye.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −40 °C to −6.7 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H7 | down to −20 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −34 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–5 | −15 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Yellow dye from the aerial parts in summer and red dye from the roots — the same family (Rubiaceae) as madder, with the same alizarin-related red pigment in the roots, but at much lower concentration
- Traditionally used to colour Double Gloucester and Cheshire cheeses pale yellow before annatto displaced it
- Honey-scented foliage when dried — traditional mattress and pillow stuffing, hence the common name
- Tough meadow plant for chalk and limestone grassland — drought tolerant
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Lady’s bedstraw against your zones