In canola, one experiment showed a 20 percent yield loss when cleavers were present at densities of 100 plants per square metre. Cleavers is a major problem in many cereal and oilseed fields in western Canada. Its clinging, sticky vines often cause lodging of the crops, tangle up harvesting equipment and cause other difficulties which delay harvest. Cleavers flowers are almost unnoticeable, 1-2 mm in diameter, greenish yellow to white in colour and self pollinating The problem, and the weed, are spreading A single cleavers plant can produce 3,500 seeds . Cleavers seeds can live in the soil from one to three years.
Seeds remain viable when eaten by animals.
In fact, seed germination increases when seeds are recovered from animal droppings. Planting contaminated canola seed has become the main source for spreading cleavers. It is easily spread by harvesting equipment and in contaminated animal manure. The bristly seeds cling to the hair and wool of animals and people's clothing. Cleavers was once considered a summer annual, but now there's evidence that it can overwinter and grow as a winter annual.