Galium odoratum
Blooming Time
Exposure
A longtime favorite, sweet woodruff thrives in dense shade and can be used for accent under such plants as rhododendron and azalea. Subtly fragrant, its numerous, tiny, four-pointed, white, star-shaped flowers are borne during early spring and persist for many weeks. Sweet Woodruff is one of the very best ground covers for use in conjunction with spring flowering bulbs and wildflowers.
Details
Hardiness Zone:
Blossom Color:
White to Cream
Growth Habit:
Creeping
Max Height:
6"
Texture:
Recommended Spacing:
We sell this plant in these containers:
Special Characteristics
Features
A multitude of tiny four-pointed star-shaped flowers borne early spring above fine textured vibrant green foliage.
Landscape Value
Small to large scale creeping ground cover, great under trees including conifers. Nice crisp green color gives good contrast.
Care
Watering:
Sweet Woodruff requires a fair amount of supplemental watering and often requires watering on a regular basis during the growing season.
Fertilizing:
Sweet Woodruff benefits from regular feeding and likely will grow best with: a spring (May) application of slow release fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio (such as a 15-5-10) at a rate of about 10 pounds per 1000 square feet, and a summer (July) application of slow release fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio (such as a 15-5-10) at a rate of about 10 pound per 1000 square feet, and and an early fall (September) application of a 2-1-2 ratio (such as a 10-5-10) at a rate of 15 pounds per 1000 square feet to encourage root development and cold hardiness.
Pruning:
Sweet Woodruff is a deciduous plant (nonevergreen) and does not require pruning. It is perfectly acceptable to allow the dropped leaves to decompose and nourish the soil.