Cleavers (Galium aparine). The stems are covered with prickly hairs that point toward the root, so it’s rough going if you’re a caterpillar or something trying to climb up. They also catch easily on clothes—thus the name “Cleavers.” The leaves come in whorls of eight, or sometimes six or seven; the stems are square; and the tiny white flowers have four pointed petals.
Galium triflorum
Galium circaezans
Galium lanceolatum
Galium tinctorium
Galium concinnum
Galium asprellum
Woodruff (Galium odoratum). Woodruff is a European import that has made itself at home in our woods. Although it can form fairly dense mats, it does not seem to take over very quickly, so we may provisionally regard it as a welcome visitor. It came to these shores for its strong scent, which is used in potpourris and as a flavoring; but it is also notable as a singularly attractive ground cover.M
Mitchella repens
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Bluets (Houstonia caerulea). Also known as Quaker Ladies, these tiny blue flowers form tidy clumps in shaded lawns and roadsides. Small as the delightful four-petaled flowers are, they rise from a plant that seems tiny out of all proportion to the flowers. They generally bloom in late April or early May, but can continue to late spring.