When crushed or cut, the leaves emit a scent reminiscent of freshly-mown hay. Email * Phone * Product. Be very careful with this one! Soil preferred by this plant … I took a start, a bit of rooted section (the best way to multiply this plant), and planted it beneath my roses on the east side of the house. 'Sweet Woodruf' is a real treat when it's so manageable, what with it's charming early spring b... read morelooms, delicate fragrance, hardiness and herbal uses. They are planted in almost full sun and very, very poor clay soil. Choose perennials that are short when the bulbs are in bloom so they don’t block the view. I transpanted it to the West side of the garage last year and it's already peaking out in zone 4. Icon - Arrow Left Has a tendency to die back or go dormant during heat and drought periods of the summer, but often revives with fresh growth in the cooler, autumn temperatures. Questions about Woodruff asked by other gardeners. The first year they struggled to stay alive and I know that I lost a few due to the hot sun and dry conditions. Musk geranium is an aromatic, hardy herbaceous perennial that grows 15 to 18 inches … (Editor's Note: This article was originally published on March 31, 2011. Lovely ground cover under my hostas, bleeding hearts & oriental lilies on the North side of the house. Both leaves and flowers have a fresh scent and make a delicately sweet tea. On Jun 24, 2006, MonicaG from Wallingford, PA wrote: I wish my sweet woodruff was invasive. Musk Geranium Do not confuse this herb with the tender, fragrant geraniums that belong to … Another note is that I didn't amend my very heavy clay soil where I planted these. Musk Geranium. Sweet woodruff herb was originally grown for the fresh … Buy It: Sweet Woodruff, ($13, Great Garden Plants) Buy It: Golden Japanese Hakone Grass, ($22, Monrovia) Buy … Buy It: Sweet Woodruff, ($13, Great Garden Plants) Buy It: Golden Japanese Hakone Grass, ($22, Monrovia) Buy … Media Kit | I definitely give it a positive rating. It's delicate and pretty. I have lots of shade gardens and this ground cover is in all of them. It's better used by itself as a groundcover, except I find it tends to die out in patches. Some gardeners grow forsythia in poor soil with iris. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Davesgarden.com, Think Green: Foliage as an Alternative to Flowers, U.S. Government Printing Office: Food and Drug Administration - Food Additives Permitted For Direct Addition To Food For Human Consumption (21 CFR 172.510), Doublefile Viburnums, a Shrub For Multi-season Interest. Contact Us | Plant perennials first and then plant the bulbs 6 to 12 inches from them. The sun-shy 'Sweet Woodruff' is an herbal groundcover likely best suited for colder climates, where it won't spread too vigorously. Bearded Iris Companion Plants. The Among its many nicknames are stickywilly, stickyweed, stickyleaf, cleavers, goosegrass, catchweed and coachweed. Now that it is established I rarely water it and it can tolerate light foot traffic. I took a start, a bit of rooted section (the best way to multiply this plant), and planted it beneath my roses on the east side of the house. It has spread some. very dense atractive leaves for a ground cover, with well displayed white flowers in spring. Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff) is a mat-forming perennial that creates a very attractive ground cover in moist, shady areas. so far..its been good. Although this plant may not be invasive for some zones it is in many and chokes out native species and hay fields Companion Plant: Sweet Woodruff. © 2020 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands On May 17, 2009, kcviolet from Kansas City, MO wrote: This plant grows well in my raised herb garden, which is really a huge container (12' X 4' and 3' deep) my husband built me). My mom gave me some, as it didn't grow much at her house & it's pretty. When selecting plants to use together, the ideal combination is one in which the plants make each other look better all year long. However, in my garden in the high desert, I'm very happy to see it spreading under a large cherry tree, where it receives more shade than many other plants like. pesky weed. I LOVE mine and it spreads, but is certainly not invasive in my z7 area. Shade. Because the plant’s roots are shallow, it is fairly easy to yank out what you don’t want. On Jul 12, 2008, Gabrielle from (Zone 5a) wrote: On Jun 3, 2008, cruz4him from Toronto, ON (Zone 6a) wrote: Well, let's see if I can add a Northerner's note to this (I'm in Toronto, Canada). On Jan 4, 2001, lantana from (Zone 7a) wrote: Central Phoenix -- I have an Aloe Christmas Carol, ... read more, I just found one upside down on our patio and put him ... read more, Flocks to the suet feeder along with the dozen or so ... read more, Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Davesgarden.com. Judging by DG members' comments on Galium odoratum, people seem to either love or hate sweet woodruff. Not only does it spread like wildfire, but it chokes out other plants in its path. Fast growth 6 to 12 inches tall, spreading indefinitely. A naturally moist or irrigated site is best. It bears pretty clusters of white star-shaped flowers in spring and has very fragrant, lance-shaped dark-green leaves. Sweet woodruff is exceptionally easy to grow and readily adapts to a wide range for soil and moisture conditions. Currently viewing: Potted Plants - Companion Plants - Asperula odorata: Request Price List. 3 years later, there is one tiny sprig left--not a single sign of any of the other plants. On May 9, 2015, brainknot from ENDERBY,Canada wrote: I received a piece of a friend's Japonese anenome and it came with a bit of this plant, I planted it in a 10 ft square contained area. USDA Zone 4 (-30°F) to USDA Zone 8 (10°F). In unamended soil, sweet woodruff barely survives. An often forgotten herb, sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) can be a valuable addition to the garden, particularly shade gardens. Menu. All are getting along well. It has been defined as the planting of two or more crop species together in order to achieve benefits such as higher yields and pest control. Here's hoping it does as well - because there is nothing over there but some sweet bedstraw. Luckily, the front yard here is lacking, nothing but dirt (apartments-yuck) so I will have no regrets if it DOES take over. :). This plant has everything I like in a plant, fresh green foliage, pretty blooms, fine texture, and pleasing fragrance. Growing Sweet Woodruff: Tips To Grow Sweet Woodruff Herb. After that the plant went nuts and began to choke off everything in its path. Spreading by both underground roots and by self-seeding, it quickly forms a thick mat. Mine are mostly planted under Rhododendron in full, dense shade. On Apr 3, 2008, outdoorlover from Enid, OK (Zone 7a) wrote: We have not found this plant to be invasive in part shade (east side of our house) in zone 7b. Sweet woodruff is a much loved small plant that is found growing on its own in the forests and also on hedge banks in shaded areas. Native to Europe, northern Africa and northern Asia, the plant is also sometimes called sweetscented bedstraw. Evergreen in the South, the elliptical, bristle-tipped leaves are ­ 1 1/2 inches long and grow in whorls of six to eight; they are smooth and dotted with glands above and below and have rough margins. Other Uses Because sweet woodruff’s scent grows even stronger when the leaves are dried, this herb has historically been used in sachets and potpourris. I never found it invasive. I've yet to see if it drives out my columbines and astilbes but so far so good. 7. So I'll see how it does there. Adult beneficials and their larvae feed on insects; however, these hard-working adults also need pollen- and nectar-rich flowers in order to survive. I'm not too worried about it's invasiveness because the cold here will kill just about everything but dandelions!! On Apr 13, 2009, Iowafaerie from Otho, IA wrote: I love this plant. A wonderful groundcover, this European native bears lacy, white flowers in late spring. I'll let you guys know how it goes. and it has behaved very nicely - frankly MUCH nicer than vinca, which I spent 3 years getting rid of all the runners! The "sweet" part of this delicate-looking beauty's name refers to the refreshing hay-like scent of its leaves and flowers. In Germany, the flowering tops are traditionally used to make May wine. Luckily, her parents supported her budding horticultural endeavors, and she's been gardening ever since. None of it gets watered. It emits sweet aroma and also keeps ants at bay. On Mar 10, 2006, PurplePetal from Chicago, IL (Zone 5a) wrote: I planted this a few years ago in full sun on the south side of our house. On Jun 3, 2009, KublaiKhan from Machesney Park, IL wrote: This plant is terribly invasive. For the first three years I was pleased with the ground cover and fragrance. Can be used in shady rock gardens, as an edging plant, or a quick naturalizing ground cover under a tree. Featured Companies | Sometimes I'll clear away a square foot's worth in the fall and plant a biennial like stock or foxglove smack in the middle of it, and the Woodruff won't grow back fast enough to choke the biennial before it's had it's 2-3 year run. The fragile stems make it a nightmare to try & pull out, you don't get the whole root and travelling vine. Gardening Companion Garden App; Ask A Gardening Question; School & Community Garden Sponsorship; Find A Local Extension Office ; USDA Planting Zones; Home › Edible Gardens › Herbs › Archive for Woodruff. Choose companion plants with similar growing requirements. A wonderful groundcover, this European native bears lacy, white flowers in late spring. Once you can plant the area where the bulbs once stood (and the sweet woodruff has grown) it is easy to pull up the sweet woodruff to plant what you want with no fear that you will loose the sweet woodruff as it will stay any place you allow it to. Companion plants for tall, dwarf and other bearded iris are Columbine, sweet rocket, pyrethrum, blue salvia, coralbells and Narcissus. Charming herbal ground cover spreads in moist areas with gleaming white, star-shaped flowers that bloom in late spring. Weekly during dry spells . In fact, I wish it would spread a little more. Certain plant allies improve the flavor of neighboring vegetables by providing nutrients. Grows best in an average to moist, well-drained soil, in partial to full shade. After spending 28 years as a teacher and librarian, Gwen Bruno is now a full-time freelance writer residing in suburban Chicago. It is so pretty, and it spreads fast, but not out of control. Be sure you're getting the Galium odoratum and that it's from a reliable source. Keep weed-free . On Aug 2, 2002, Lizziewriter from Holmes, NY (Zone 5b) wrote: Let me underline the invasiveness warning! Fruit trees -P . 12) Sweet Azalea (Rhododendron arborescens) The plant produces highly fragrant blossoms in bell-shaped milky-white flowers with pink colored stamens. I had just pulled the overgrown bushes and was replacing them with small flowering foundation shrubs so these plants didn't have nay shade. It smells great when it blooms, and its flowers are used in Germany to flavor/scent young riesling, called Maiwein (May Wine). leaves and stems can also be frozen for later use. I am transferring it to a treeline on the border of our property where nothing but weeds grow, hopefully it will like the clay soil there as much as the amended soil in the bed. It’s a woodland plant that is often grown for ground … In medieval times, sweet woodruff was hung or strewn in churches on Whitsunday and Saint Barnabas Day. It is a good idea to place it beneath carpets. Bare soil. I just kept them watered and they made it through the season. With some watering it did well. Sweet The Galium genus includes over 600 species, most of which are known as bedstraw. However, the agent responsible for the flavor/scent is Coumarin, which is converted in the body into an anti-coagulant drug/poison. It is late June and it just beginning to take hold in year 2. The fine foliage is topped with tiny white flowers in May and remains attractive throughout the growing season. On Jul 8, 2003, lunavox from Seattle, WA (Zone 8b) wrote: I love this herb. On Aug 3, 2008, clayandrocks9 from Bristow, VA (Zone 7a) wrote: I have had Sweet Woodruff on the east side of my house for almost four years. Sweet woodruff makes a beautiful base for trees or shrubs -which is how my mother grew it. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum; Zones 5-8).