If you look at the picture closely you’ll notice that the leaves are arranged, four at a time in a cross on the stem. Other people have noticed this too so it’s not too hard to guess why it’s called ‘Crosswort’. They say that it also has a pronounced honey smell (The Dog and I checked – and it does) and so its other name is Honeywort. It’s a member of the bedstraw family and when it has dried it smells of new mown hay – we haven’t checked this by the way, but this is most likely why it was used for stuffing mattresses.
The Dog and I can’t imagine that a straw mattress would be very comfortable for very long and neither of us is inclined to give up our comfortable beds to do a ‘live’ trial.
Not many people do the crosswort these days – it’s more sudoku isn’t it?
Of course you could always gather a bunch for your Honey – because she’s wort it.
Track and Hedge 