It is widely cultivated for its flowers and its sweet-smelling foliage. The bright green, narrow, rough textured leaves are arranged in whorls around the stems. It is not highly invasive, otherwise, just a healthy grower, which is what is wanted in a groundcover. Sweet woodruff is a creeping groundcover plant and can be a rather enthusiastic spreader in the right garden location. Sweet woodruff is also a very popular plant in Europe. Lance-shaped leaves are shiny green and grow in whorls around stems that grow up to 12" tall. Low maintenance, herbaceous perennial groundcover blooms in the spring. Often used as a ground cover, Sweet Woodruff herb plants have whorled leaves and small vanilla-scented white flowers in spring. 1 star 1 star 1 star 1 star 1 star (0 reviews) Write review. While it is assertive, it rarely becomes truly invasive as its quite easy to pull out or edge with a shovel. New shoots will be formed at the point where rooting occurs. Last updated on Dec 12, 2019. Attractive low spreading groundcover or pathway edging for shady gardens and woodland settings. It’s not overly aggressive, but will spread nicely within a few years. Culture and Climate. This herb can be considered invasive; therefore herbalists should take care to keep an eye on the boundaries designated for its cultivation. Galium odoratum. Clinical Overview Use. Woodruff, Sweet. [ 2 replies | ] Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 14, 2012 11:24 AM. Sweet Woodruff (Asperula Odorata or Galium Odoratum) - Also known as Our Lady's Lace, this low-growing perennial is versatile and grows well from Sweet Woodruff seeds. pot size guide. This has quickly become one of the most popular groundcovers for shady areas. Often used as a ground cover, Sweet Woodruff herb plants have whorled leaves and small vanilla-scented white flowers in spring. Like most herbs, it requires good drainage and slightly acidic soil. Old fashioned favorite that spreads quickly with rich soil and ample moisture. It does reseed, but not aggressively. Plants typically grow 8-12" tall and feature fragrant, lance-shaped, dark green leaves in whorls of 6-8 along square stems. It has a white bloom and reaches 8 to 12 inches in height (with a slightly greater width). Sweet woodruff makes a big statement in the shade garden. It is also sparingly naturalized in scattered locations in the United States and Canada. Fruits. However, I *believe* sweet woodruff is native to Germany. Sweet woodruff: Galium odoratum, like catnip, is an aromatic perennial for zones 4 to 8. Galium odoratum, commonly called sweet woodruff, is a mat-forming perennial that is most often grown as a ground cover in shady areas. I wish my sweet woodruff was invasive. Sweet woodruff is quick to establish and can be considered invasive as it spreads easily if left unrestrained. SKU. Plants form a spreading clump of small green leaves, whorled like spokes of a bicycle around the stem. Ajuga spreads very slowly where I have it under some shrubs. Sweet woodruff is occasionally cultivated in the herb garden for its medicinal and other uses. The plant spreads rapidly but is not invasive. ADD add to wishlist. Not enough is known about the safety of putting sweet woodruff on the skin. It’s very pretty, right? Closely related to henna, the plant has a slightly bitter taste and no aroma. I let it sit in jojoba oil for about a week and now the oil is delicately flavored with that dry hay/tobacco/vanilla scent that I associate with lying in the grass at midsummer. Cut it back when it exceeds its bounds. I ended up removing sweet woodruff -- both because it was struggling and yet also (paradoxically) because it was spreading too much for my tastes. Well, this year, my seemingly innocuous little plant became a garden bully. The plant may die back and go dormant in the summer if located in a spot that is too hot and dry. Sweet Woodruff (Asperula Odorata or Galium Odoratum) - Also known as Our Lady's Lace, this low-growing perennial is versatile and grows well from Sweet Woodruff seeds. This perennial ground cover is a shade-lover. Galium odoratum, the sweetscented bedstraw, is a flowering perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to much of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Russia, as well as Western Siberia, Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus, China and Japan. Sweet Woodruff. Be the first to review this product. I'm always a bit wary of exotic (non-native) plants that spread aggressively. Herbaceous perennial. Feverfew is a treasured plant for me and I would not call it invasive. A very ornamental plant[1] but it spreads rapidly[28] and can be invasive[200]. The bed is nearly full shade and circumscrbed by our deck and concrete walks so spreading was not a concern. Sweet woodruff can become invasive if given the right conditions. The parts that grow above the ground are used to make medicine, though medicinal use has tapered off in many countries around the world.. People take sweet woodruff for preventing and treating lung, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and urinary disorders. Sweet woodruff is a sprawling groundcover, developing long stems and whorls of narrow leaves which totally surround the stem. They tolerate heavy shade and even being planted near black walnuts. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is an herb that spreads via runners and seed, forming a dense green carpet. Spreading by both underground roots and by self-seeding, it quickly forms a thick mat. Sweet woodruff herb should be planted in a shady area. The sweet woodruff plant is called Waldmeister or Maikraut in Germany. Germany goes green in the month of May. Useful in herb gardens, rock gardens, naturalized areas, shady borders or as a ground cover or edging plant. Sweet woodruff, Galium odoratum, makes a prolific and lovely ground cover for the shade or semi-shade garden. It makes a great groundcover for hard-to-plant dark corners of the landscape. Growth. If so, the aggressiveness would not bother me nearly as much. Sweet woodruff spreads by runners. The dried foliage has the sweet scent of newly mown hay[245]. The Sweet Woodruff Plant is an herb that is used in Germany in baking, cooking, and in beverages. Sweet woodruff is a fragrant, delicate groundcover for shady areas, and it requires very little maintenance. Wildflowers Bedstraws: Range map for Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State. In a moist site this spreads steadily to form a thick carpet. When well-nourished, sweet woodruff can grow to around eight inches (20 centimeters) in height, and it can sprawl out considerably in the garden. They like moist but well draining soil that is rich in organic material from things like decomposing leaves and branches, but will also grow in dry soils. Although sweet woodruff will spread indefinitely under the right conditions, it is generally not considered invasive in the Inland Northwest. Sweet woodruff can cause headaches, dizziness, blackouts, and possibly liver damage when used long-term or in large amounts. When dried, the leaves smell pleasantly of new-mown hay, honey, and vanilla. Its vernacular names include woodruff, sweet woodruff, and wild baby's breath; master of the woods would be a literal translation of the German Waldmeister. Scientific Name(s): Galium odoratum (L.) Scop. It happened slowly. We have it throughout our white shade garden and it's delicate white flowers in early spring form a dense white carpet in keeping with the theme of the garden. When I was in Germany last year, I discovered that it’s used to flavour all sorts of things, from candy to cordial. If you do grow this plant in the U.S., please check to make sure it's not invasive in your region, as might be the case particularly in the Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest and parts of New York State. In more open conditions it can be a bit invasive but it is easily pulled up and I’ve never found it to be a problem, though there are some negative comments about the … Here it is in bloom. It is sometimes confused with Galium triflorum and Galium verum. 3 years later, there is one tiny sprig left--not a single sign of any of the other plants. In spring, the plants are smothered with white flowers and the foliage has a sweet, haylike fragrance. Clusters of tiny white flowers make a pretty display in spring. It was invasive for me and took me years to get rid of every part of it in my garden. Spreading and naturalizing, the foliage fills in to make a loose and … Sweet Woodruff; Phonetic Spelling GAL-ee-um oh-dor-AY-tum Description. Leaves and stems have a vanilla-like odor when dried. This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring. Sweet woodruff forms a dense groundcover, growing on a creeping rhizome. It does make an excellent ground cover plant due to its low-growing nature and spreading habit. The Look. Sweet Woodruff is often used a fill-in gorund cover in gardens, from which it occasionally escapes. It owes its sweet smell to the odiferous agent coumarin, and is sometimes used as a flavoring agent due to its chemical content. Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum Pros: - Evergreen (at least in zone 6/7) - Beautiful light-green foliage with an interesting whorled shape. It is one of my favorite plants for bouquets. Yes, the flowers are beautiful, but if you don't have the space and don't want it to take over, then I'd advise you not to plant it. Still, it should only be planted in areas where it can be allowed to roam freely. 2383. I planted sweet woodruff under shrubs last year and am hoping it will spread. In contrast, when wilted or crushed, woodruff releases a sweet, pleasant odor reminiscent of fresh hay. 9cm pot £6.99. It is hardy in zones 4-9. The soil had been amended a full season prior to planting. Common Name(s): Master of the wood, Sweet woodruff, Waldmeister, Woodruff, Woodward Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Sweet Woodruff has fine textured stems and leaves which are situated in whorls resembling a wheel; in the springtime each stem is topped by a tiny bouquet of fresh white star shaped blooms. I planted it on the side of our front porch, below the faucet. Sweet Woodruff: USDA Zone: 3-9: Plant number: 1.223.050. It grows in USDA Zones 4-8. It responds well to control measures, unlike some popular groundcover options. Sweet woodruff, hardy in zones 4 through 8, is easily grown in moist, well-drained soil. These stems spread out horizontally over the ground and can root where they come in contact with the soil. It does best in areas that get partial to full shade and have moderately moist soil. Sweet woodruff is invasive in some parts of the United States. Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum, has long been a woodland garden favorite for its elegant beauty. Sweet Woodruff is very tolerant of shade and, once established, copes well with fairly shallow tree roots. Sweet woodruff is an herb. They also use it for heart problems, “blood purification,” “weak veins,” and other circulation problems. Tiny white flowers late spring and summer. Can be somewhat aggressive under optimal growing conditions. During my experiments with capturing the scent of plants, I was most successful with sweet woodruff. The squarish stems grow about 40cm (6-12”) tall. Sweet woodruff grows about 6 to 10 inches high and is a trailing-rooting ground cover. The foliage dies back to the ground in most winters in the Midwest and reappears early in spring. Sweet woodruff is an herb. Be careful to keep it out of direct sunlight, which can damage sweet woodruff’s pinwheel leaves, and don’t confuse it with its weedy, invasive cousin, the eponymously named “sticky weed” (G. aparine). A Sweet Woodruff plant. Trailing-rooting ground covers have trailing stems that spread out from a central root system. Here are tips on how to grow this plant in your back yard and how to use it seasonally. Sweet woodruff, with its whorls of emerald green leaves and white starry flowers, is a welcome sight in late spring, and the foliage is attractive all season long. I planted 18 plants in a bed with 3 PJM rhododendrons. Small, fragrant, 4-petaled, white flowers appear in loose cymes in spring. I had it once, but it all died out. However, this is rarely to the detriment of other plants since these are normally able to grow through it[200]. 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