Cleavers is an annual vine with tiny hooked hairs that cause it to cling ('cleave') to clothing, fur, and feathers, earning it names like 'sticky willy.' It grows in moist, disturbed habitats, forest edges, and thickets across North America. Its sticky seeds are dispersed by attaching to animal fur and bird feathers.
Best time to see a Cleavers
The best time to see a Cleavers is April–May, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 39,737 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Cleavers? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Cleavers sightings near you
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