Galium odoratum

syn. Asperula odorata

Sweet Woodruff is an easy care perennial that quick spreads to form an attractive and durable ground cover. Bright green leaves are arranged in a whorl on short, creeping stems. Scented white blossoms are lovely in the late spring garden. Dried leaves are often used in potpourri as they give off a pleasant grassy, vanilla aroma.

Undemanding but happiest in moist, shady areas. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Fun Fact: German wine makers use the spring flowers to flavor young riesling, called Maiwein (May Wine)

Zones: 4 to 7

Family: Rubiaceae

Type: Perennial

Height: 6 to 12 in.

Spread: 9 to 18 in.

Exposure: part-shade, bright full shade, light shade

Soil Conditions: average

Bloom Time: May to June

Bloom Color: White

Native Range: Europe and North Africa

Image Credits:

• Image 1 (blooms) Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 2 (foliage) Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons