Zone 4-8. Also known as Our Lady's Lace, this low-growing perennial is versatile and grows well from seeds. Often used as a ground cover, plants have whorled leaves and small vanilla-scented white flowers in spring.
It does make an excellent ground cover plant due to its low-growing nature and spreading habit. Historically, the herb seeds were grown for an aromatic plant that was used as an air freshener and placed in linen closets.
Plants are also natural insect repellents and gardeners often grow them around ornamentals like roses to keep the pests away. As a medicinal herb, Sweet Woodruff was used to treat numerous ailments and was often used for the treatment of wounds.
Plants emit a strong odor of freshly mown hay when foliage is crushed or cut. Aromatic intensity of the foliage increases when dried, thus dried leaves are popularly used in sachets or potpourris.
Plants have also been used commercially in perfumes. Leaves are sometimes used to flavor teas and cold fruit drinks. Leaves are also used to make May wine, a punch made from white wine flavored with woodruff, orange and pineapple. Woodruff comes from Old English meaning wood that unravels, in probable reference to the creeping rootstock of the plant. Formerly known as Asperula odorata. Cannot ship to CN, MA, NY, PA, VT
Sweet Woodruff seeds germinate best after a period of cold temperatures. Some gardeners will dampen peat moss, mix the herb seeds into the peat moss and then place the peat moss/seed mixture in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 weeks before sowing. Others will sow the herb seeds in a starter tray, water, seal the tray, and place it in the refrigerator. Finally, the last method of sowing would be to directly sow the Sweet Woodruff seeds outdoors in a prepared seedbed in late winter or first of spring while frosts are still expected.