Sweet Woodruff Plants: How to Care for Sweet Woodruff

Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is an herbaceous perennial creeping plant often used as a ground cover. The plant also goes by the common names wild baby's breath, our lady's lace, and sweet-scented bedstraw. It has dark green leaves and blooms small, delicate white flowers, which are richly aromatic with a light vanilla scent, making the plant a popular choice in perfumes and potpourris, as well as for attracting pollinators.

Sweet woodruff, which grows well in USDA hardiness zones 4–8, blooms in late spring and prefers shady areas. This low-lying plant spreads quickly across your garden bed and can become invasive if you leave it to spread unchecked.

You can plant sweet woodruff in early spring for a summer bloom time or in late fall for a spring bloom time. If you’re planting the perennial in the spring, time it so that it’s after the last spring frost has passed. If you’re planting sweet woodruff in fall, use mulch on the plant's soil to protect its roots from frost during winter. Keep in mind that the plant does not like hot or overly dry conditions, so it may falter during the hot summer months.

Most garden centers sell established sweet woodruff plants, but you can also buy sachets of sweet woodruff seeds if you prefer to grow from seed. However, the quickest way to propagate the perennial is by plant divisions.

• Remove the parent plant. Buy an established sweet woodruff plant from your local garden center. Use a sterilized garden fork or spade to gently dig it up. Lift the plant from its hole, and remove any dirt from the roots. You can cut out the whole clump, or loosen the soil and only remove a smaller piece.
• Separate the plant into smaller sections. Tease the root ball of the sweet woodruff with your fingers to separate areas of the parent plant. Your divisions should have a couple of viable shoots and roots.
• Replant the divisions. You can plant your new divisions right away, or you can store them in a shaded and moist area until they’re ready for replanting. When transplanting back into the soil, do not bury the new plant deeper than it originally grew. Plant your sweet woodruff in a shady spot in your garden prepared with well-draining soil amended with moss. Water your sweet woodruff immediately after you plant it.

Sweet woodruff is a hardy and low-maintenance plant, but there are a few things you can do to set your sweet woodruff up for success:

1. 1. Sunlight: You can plant sweet woodruff under large trees as a ground cover. It prefers full shade but can tolerate partial shade. Ensure that your sweet woodruff doesn’t get too much sunlight because the hot sun can scorch its leaves.
2. 2. Watering: This plant is a rare kind that can’t get enough water. As your sweet woodruff establishes itself, make sure to water it once a week. Once established, you can pare back watering to times of drought. Watering a mature sweet woodruff plant can lead it to take over your garden.
3. 3. Companion planting: Sweet woodruff acts as a natural insect repellent and can help keep harmful pests, such as aphids, away from other plants. Plant sweet woodruff near flowers like roses or vegetable gardens to keep pests away.

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