Sweet woodruff
Galium odoratum
Sweet woodruff makes a big statement in the shade garden. In spring, the plants are smothered with white flowers and the foliage has a sweet, haylike fragrance. It makes a great ground cover for hard-to-plant dark corners of the landscape. Sweet woodruff can become invasive if given the right conditions. Plant it where you can control it easily. It does not tolerate drought.
Light: Part sun, Sun
Type: Herb, Perennial
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Width: 12-18 inches
Flower color: White
Seasonal features: Spring bloom, Summer bloom
Problem solvers: Groundcover, Slope/Erosion control
Special features: Cut flowers, Fragrance, Good for containers, Low maintenance
Zones: 4-8
How to Grow Sweet Woodruff Herb
Sweet woodruff herb should be planted in a shady area. 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. It grows in USDA Zones 4-8.
After the plants are established, growing sweet woodruff is very simple. It does not need to be fertilized and should only be watered in times of drought. Sweet woodruff care is just that easy. Sweet woodruff spreads by runners. In moist soil, it can spread very quickly and can become invasive in the right conditions. It is often recommended that you plant sweet woodruff ground cover in an area that you would not mind seeing naturalized by sweet woodruff. You can also keep sweet woodruff under control by spade edging around the bed yearly. Spade edging is done by driving a spade into the soil on the edge of the flower bed where you are growing sweet woodruff. This will severe the runners. Remove any sweet woodruff plants that are outside the bed.
Sweet Woodruff Propagation
Sweet woodruff is most often propagated by division. You can dig up clumps from an established patch and transplant them.
Sweet woodruff can also be propagated by seed. Sweet woodruff seeds can be planted directly into the soil in the spring or can be started indoors up to 10 weeks before your area’s last frost date.
To direct sow sweet woodruff, in early spring simply spread the seeds over the area that you wish to grow them and lightly cover the area with sifted soil or peat moss.Then water the area.
To start sweet woodruff indoors, spread the seeds evenly in the growing container and lightly cover the top with peat moss. Water the container and then place it into your refrigerator for two weeks. After you have chilled the sweet woodruff seeds, place them in a cool, lighted area (50 F. (10 C.), such as a basement or an unheated, attached garage to germinate. Once they have germinated, you can move the sweet woodruff seedlings to a warmer location.
