Sweet Woodruff plant profile
Galium odoratum
A perennial ornamental for shade.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Sweet Woodruff
Sweet woodruff is a fragrant, low groundcover for shade with whorled leaves that smell of freshly mown hay and small white star-shaped flowers in spring (NC State). Plant or divide in spring or fall in moist, fertile, well-drained shade; water during summer dry spells to keep it from going dormant, and note it can be somewhat aggressive under ideal conditions.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Sweet Woodruff in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Shade
- Soil pH
- 5 to 6
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a to 8bFind my hardiness zone
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: aggressive spreading.
Next steps
Continue with Sweet Woodruff
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff, Sweet Scented Bed Straw)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.