Plant Type

Ground cover, Perennial, Herb

 

Height Range

Under 1'

 

Flower Color

White

 

Flower Season

Spring, Summer

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Half, Shade

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Meadow, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Fragrance, Showy Flowers, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Spring, Summer

 

Location Uses

Entry, Perennial Border, Shrub Border, Foundation, Parking Strip, Patio, Walkways

 

Special Uses

Filler, Mass Planting, Naturalizing, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Sweet Woodruff is a charming, delicate-looking groundcover well suited to dry shade areas; but its appearance is deceiving as this is one tough little plant). Growing to about 2 to 4 inches in height, with single plants eventually spreading 12 to 18 inches, it slowly carpets shady spots with bright green, whorled leaves. Flowers occur in spring, are white, four-petaled, and fragrant. Stems are slightly sticky. 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.

Grow in average, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Spreads by both creeping roots and self-seeding to form an attractive ground cover in shady areas. Can be somewhat aggressive in optimum growing conditions. Where restraint becomes necessary, plants can be mowed with a rotary mower on a high setting. Many references state that sweet woodruff requires a lot of moisture, but it seems to thrive in our heavy clay soils on moderate to dry watering schedules as long as it has shade. My dogs love to lay in this on hot summer days and it seems to take the use well.