Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is a lovely herbaceous perennial plant well-suited as a groundcover in a shady woodland garden. Delicate green leaves appear as the ground thaws each spring, becoming a rich emerald tone in April. The fine foliage is topped with tiny white flowers in May and remains attractive throughout the growing season.
Sweet woodruff basics
Sweet woodruff is a low-growing flowering herbaceous perennial plant native to Europe and Asia. This plant thrives in Zones 4-8 in shady spots that have consistently moist soil. This plant is most commonly used as a shade garden ground cover in natural woodland gardens.
Here is a little video I made about sweet woodruff in the garden:
Sweet woodruff foliage
Sweet Woodruff has delicate green foliage. Each thin stem is surrounded by whorls of simple green leaves, with a few inches of space between each whorl. The leaf clusters almost look like stars or pinwheels of green flower petals that circle the fine stems. The foliage is generally between 8″ and 12″ tall.
This plants foliage emerges in spring after the ground has thawed, becoming established in April. The leaves are sometimes harvested and dried after bloom for their delicate fragrance. Foliage is attractive throughout the season. The foliage dies back to the ground in late autumn. The dried foliage is fine and can be raked away in late fall or early spring.
“The fragrance, often compared to that of freshly cut hay, reminds me of spring earth and honey. Only faintly aromatic when fresh, the leaves develop their full bouquet when dry and remain fragrant for years.”
Herbs: The Complete Gardener’s Guide, by Patrick Lima
Sweet Woodruff flowers
This plant has tiny white flowers. The flowers grow in small bunches, each with four tiny petals.
Bloom time is generally during the month of May. Some early flowering areas may have late April flowers, while cooler spots may enjoy Woodruff blooms into June.
How to grow sweet woodruff
This plant is most easily started from an existing plant but can also be grown from seed (as long as you’re patient enough to wait for the seeds to germinate!).
Where to buy sweet woodruff
This plant can be purchased from larger nurseries and garden centers and online. Some smaller garden centers and big box stores may not stock this plant as it is not the most common landscaping ground cover. If your local nurseries don’t have it, ask them if they can order it.
Where to plant sweet woodruff
Sweet woodruff thrives when planted in moist soil in a shady area. It is often planted under trees as a living mulch to create a woodland garden atmosphere. An ideal planting spot would have well-draining soil, filtered light, and adequate air circulation. That being said, this plant can tolerate less-than-ideal location conditions, including clay soil and limited periods of direct sunlight.
Sweet woodruff is a creeping groundcover plant and can be a rather enthusiastic spreader in the right garden location. While assertive, it rarely becomes invasive as it’s quite easy to pull out or edge with a shovel. Still, it should only be planted in areas where it can be allowed to roam freely. Aim to allow a whole area to be covered in a mass planting of Sweet Woodruff rather than trying to maintain a single specimen plant in a contained area.
When to plant sweet woodruff
Sweet Woodruff is best planted in the early spring or early fall. Early spring planting offers a chance for the roots of the plant to become established in the soil before the heat of summer sets in. Fall planting allows for a similar period of mild weather before frosty winter temperatures arrive. That being said, woodruff can be successfully planted any time of year so long as the plant has what it needs (air, water, light, etc.).
How to care for sweet woodruff
This plant is a low-maintenance perennial ground cover. With moist soil and a bit of shade, this is a happy plant. Care for sweet woodruff mainly entails keeping the soil consistently moist and ensuring the plant has some shade (particularly in the afternoon).
Woodruff is deer-resistant and rarely becomes a target for them in the garden. Woodruff is also rarely bothered by common garden pests and diseases.
How to propagate sweet woodruff
Woodruff is most easily propagated by division or by planting runners off a mother plant. I have had great success by simply separating chunks from the edge of an existing plant and transplanting them out into the garden. Younger shoots from the side of the plant tend to establish faster than divisions from the center crown area.
Companions for sweet woodruff
The best companion plants for sweet woodruff are other woodland plants that thrive in moist soil and low-light areas. Here are some wonderful companions for Sweet Woodruff:
- Fern
- Hellebore
- Hosta
- Ivy
- Brunnera
- Snowdrop Anemone
- Astilbe
- Columbine
- Azalea
- Bleeding Heart
