Not enough is known about the safety of putting sweet woodruff on the skin. Sweet Woodruff leaves are in whorls. This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring. Often used as a ground cover, Sweet Woodruff herb plants have whorled leaves and small vanilla-scented white flowers in spring. If so, the aggressiveness would not bother me nearly as much. This herb can be considered invasive; therefore herbalists should take care to keep an eye on the boundaries designated for its cultivation. I let it sit in jojoba oil for about a week and now the oil is delicately flavored with that dry hay/tobacco/vanilla scent that I associate with lying in the grass at midsummer. Sweet woodruff herb should be planted in a shady area. It’s not overly aggressive, but will spread nicely within a few years. It makes a great groundcover for hard-to-plant dark corners of the landscape.   This perennial ground cover is a shade-lover. Clinical Overview Use. These stems spread out horizontally over the ground and can root where they come in contact with the soil. The squarish stems grow about 40cm (6-12”) tall. I had it once, but it all died out. Small, fragrant, 4-petaled, white flowers appear in loose cymes in spring. The Sweet Woodruff Plant is an herb that is used in Germany in baking, cooking, and in beverages. Sweet woodruff is also a very popular plant in Europe. Yes, the flowers are beautiful, but if you don't have the space and don't want it to take over, then I'd advise you not to plant it. It grows in USDA Zones 4-8. It does make an excellent ground cover plant due to its low-growing nature and spreading habit. It happened slowly. It does best in areas that get partial to full shade and have moderately moist soil. Sweet woodruff, Galium odoratum, makes a prolific and lovely ground cover for the shade or semi-shade garden. Sweet Woodruff. The parts that grow above the ground are used to make medicine, though medicinal use has tapered off in many countries around the world.. People take sweet woodruff for preventing and treating lung, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and urinary disorders. Sweet woodruff forms a dense groundcover, growing on a creeping rhizome. 2383. Sweet Woodruff has fine textured stems and leaves which are situated in whorls resembling a wheel; in the springtime each stem is topped by a tiny bouquet of fresh white star shaped blooms. Be careful to keep it out of direct sunlight, which can damage sweet woodruff’s pinwheel leaves, and don’t confuse it with its weedy, invasive cousin, the eponymously named “sticky weed” (G. aparine). Sweet woodruff makes a big statement in the shade garden. While it is assertive, it rarely becomes truly invasive as its quite easy to pull out or edge with a shovel. [ 2 replies | ] Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 14, 2012 11:24 AM. Galium odoratum, the sweetscented bedstraw, is a flowering perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to much of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Russia, as well as Western Siberia, Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus, China and Japan. Closely related to henna, the plant has a slightly bitter taste and no aroma. Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum Pros: - Evergreen (at least in zone 6/7) - Beautiful light-green foliage with an interesting whorled shape. However, I *believe* sweet woodruff is native to Germany. Be the first to review this product. Sweet woodruff can become invasive if given the right conditions. They tolerate heavy shade and even being planted near black walnuts. 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. Sweet woodruff, hardy in zones 4 through 8, is easily grown in moist, well-drained soil. Still, it should only be planted in areas where it can be allowed to roam freely. Sweet woodruff is a creeping groundcover plant and can be a rather enthusiastic spreader in the right garden location. Sweet woodruff is an herb. It owes its sweet smell to the odiferous agent coumarin, and is sometimes used as a flavoring agent due to its chemical content. It is one of my favorite plants for bouquets. Sweet woodruff is a fragrant, delicate groundcover for shady areas, and it requires very little maintenance. 3 years later, there is one tiny sprig left--not a single sign of any of the other plants. I planted sweet woodruff under shrubs last year and am hoping it will spread. Sweet Woodruff is often used a fill-in gorund cover in gardens, from which it occasionally escapes. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is an herb that spreads via runners and seed, forming a dense green carpet. Of 6-8 along square stems come in contact with the soil had been amended full... 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