- Herb
- Food forest
- Edimentals
Sweet Woodruff
Galium odoratum
Attractive shade loving, ground creeping perennial herb with culinary uses.
PLANT TYPE Herb
PLANT HABIT Perennial
USES Culinary, Ornamental
DESCRIPTION
Attractive shade loving ground creeping herb with culinary uses. Great ground cover in shady areas. Bears pretty clusters of white, star-shaped flowers in the spring and has fragrant, lance-shaped, dark green leaves. The alpine/vanilla scent of the leaves becomes stronger when dried and can last for years. For this reason Sweet Woodruff was traditionally used as a bedstraw. Easy to grow and readily adapts to a wide range for soil and moisture conditions.
Sweet Woodruff’s leaves have been used as a flavouring agent for beer and wine, as well as tea and fruit drinks. Its leaves have also been used in perfumes, potpourris and wreaths and to lend fragrance to linens.
Commonly used as a ground cover in shady areas. Sweet woodruff is exceptionally easy to grow and readily adapts to a wide range for soil and moisture conditions. It is a deer-resistant plant and is considered one of the few rabbit-proof flowers.
Also known as Sweet-scented bedstraw, Fragrant bedstraw, Wild baby’s breath, Master of the woods.
RECOMMENDED LOCATION Forest garden, Wildlife garden, Ornamental garden
Aspect Shade, Moist shade, Moist partial shade
Height 35cm
Spread 20cm
Hardiness Fully hardy
Prefered soil pH 4.8 - 8.3 (tolerates a wide range)
Management and care Dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
