7 Herbs that Grow in Shade: Sweet Woodruff

April/May 2009
By Leda Meredith 
SS3
Image Gallery
Many culinary and medicinal herbs thrive in partial or full shade.
Saxon Holt
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum; Zones 5-8). A wonderful groundcover, this European native bears lacy, white flowers in late spring. A naturally moist or irrigated site is best. Both leaves and flowers have a fresh scent and make a delicately sweet tea. In Germany, the flowering tops are traditionally used to make May wine. To make your own May wine, steep flowers in Riesling wine overnight, strain out the woodruff, and add strawberries. Serve chilled.

Avoid consuming sweet woodruff if you have circulatory problems or if you are pregnant.

RELATED CONTENT

Leda Meredith is a botanist, writer and instructor at the New York Botanical Garden and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, specializing in edible and medicinal plants. She is the author of Botany, Ballet, & Dinner from Scratch: A Memoir with Recipes (Heliotrope Books, 2008).

Click here for the original article, 7 Herbs that Grow in Shade.

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Lori Shinabarger 3/24/2009 10:28:39 AM

    Just learning about herbs what a wonderful way to experiance the beauty of nature. reading on plants that thrive in shady areas how well is Sweet Woodruff to animals say cats or dogs to be around.

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Herb Companion readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Herb Companion?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save 50% off the Cover Price
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to The Herb Companion

Your guide to the many uses and even more pleasures of nature's most helpful plants!

The Herb Companion is the smart and easy complement to your own healthy, vibrant lifestyle! In every issue you'll find information on using herbs to:

  • Transform simple dishes into spectacular meals
  • Make gardens as useful as they are beautiful
  • Replace harsh chemicals with natural alternatives
  • Help find fulfillment, balance and good health
  • And much more!

Yes, send me a one-year subscription (6 issues) to The Herb Companion. I'll pay just $19.95.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $5.00 and get 6 issues of The Herb Companion for only $14.95 (USA only).