Sweet Woodruff

Asperula odorata

COMMON NAMES

• Master of the Woods
• Sweet Woodruff
• Waldmeister
• Woodruff
• Woodward

Sweet woodruff - a perennial spreading into clumps 8-15 inches tall. The square stems are slender and smooth, the rough-edged leaves borne in whorls of six to eight. Small white funnel-shaped flowers of sweet woodruff (May-June) bloom in loose clusters. The sweet hay scent of the flower increases as it dries.

In Germany, spring would not be complete without sweet woodruff, since sprigs of this herb are essential for making May wine, which Germans drink both as a spring tonic and to salute the new season. Mixed with fodder, sweet woodruff gives the milk of cows a delicious aroma. But when it becomes wet, sweet woodruff, like sweet clover, may rot and become moldy, producing an anticoagulant that can cause hemorrhaging in the cattle.

Unlike the fragrance of most herbs, which dissipates soon after drying, the haylike odor of dried sweet woodruff intensifies and persists for years - a fact explained by the presence of the chemical substance coumarin, which is sometimes used as a fixative for perfumes. Because of its pleasant fragrance, sweet woodruff was once used as a scenting herb for homes and churches and as a stuffing for mattresses. The dried leaves give linen closets a sweet aroma and reportedly keep moths away.

Sweet woodruff has also been a medicinal herb of some importance: the fresh leaves for dressing wounds and cuts, a decoction of the leaves as a stomach digestive and cordial, and a leaf tea for liver disorders and as a diuretic.

PARTS USED

Aerial parts.

USES

Sweet woodruff is considered tonic, with significant diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. Its coumarin and flavonoid constituents make sweet woodruff helpful for varicose veins and phlebitis. Sweet woodruff has been used as an antispasmodic, and it is given to children and adults for insomnia.

Sweet woodruff has a historic reputation as a tonic for liver disorders. World-famous as an aromatic ingredient in May wine, sweet woodruff is also used today in punches and other drinks. Modern herbalists recommend sweet woodruff as a laxative and as an antiarthritic. Research indicates that sweet woodruff may be effective for the latter use only. Sweet woodruff is mainly grown today as a ground cover.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Sweet woodruff is native to Europe, and is also found in Asia and North Africa. Sweet woodruff grows in woodlands and shaded places. Sweet woodruff is gathered when in flower in late spring.
Perennial. A ground cover that spreads rapidly, sweet woodruff can be propagated in spring by root division or cuttings. Can also be started from seeds as soon as they are ripe, but seeds are slow to germinate. Prefers rich, well-drained soil and full or partial shade.

CONSTITUENTS

Sweet woodruff contains iridoids, coumarins (0.6%), tannins, anthraquinones, and flavonoids. The flavonoids act on the circulation and are diuretic.

MAY WINE PUNCH

• 12 tips of fresh woodruff, slightly crushed
• 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
• 1 bottle Moselle or dry white wine
• 1 bottle champagne
• 12 fresh, ripe strawberries

In a large bowl, combine woodruff, sugar, and 1 bottle of Moselle or dry white wine. Cover, and steep for 30 minutes.
Remove the cover, stir the mixture, remove the woodruff, and pour the wine over ice in a punch bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and serve as soon as thoroughly chilled.
Serves 16 to 20.

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