Northern bedstraw is an erect perennial with smooth herbage, from 15-80 cm tall. It may be simple stemmed, or branched. The leaves are usually in whorls of 4 with individual leaves lanceolate or linear, 1.5-4 cm long, and with 3 nerves on the lower leaves and 1 nerve on the upper.
The inflorescence is showy with numerous flowers in a cymose panicle. Individual flowers are 3.5-7 mm wide with 4 white petals.
Northern bedstraw is found from sea level to well up in the mountains, often in moist meadows.
Northern bedstraw is found from the Arctic south to California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, and as far east as West Virginia.
