Galium

Botanical/Latin
   Galium

Pronunciation
   Gay-lee-um

Common Name
   Sweet Woodruff

Hardiness zone range
   4 - 8

General Comments
A delightful and useful member of a large plant family (up to 500 species) of annuals, perennials, and herbs.

In spring and early summer, the lush, emerald green, whorled leaves and short, erect stems carry clusters of tiny, white, vanilla scented, star-shaped flowers.

Uses
Ideal woodland plants, they are excellent as ground cover in shady spots under deciduous trees or large shrubs. Clumps slowly spread, so over a period of time they form colonies and drifts. The foliage is mildly fragrant, reminiscent of newly mown hay, if crushed or walked upon, so it is sometimes planted along woodland paths, around shady seating areas, or in beds with spring bulbs and other shade lovers. It is interesting that when dried the scent is much more pronounced and long lasting; therefore, it can be worked into wreaths and garlands or included in potpourri to add a refreshing fragrance to a room.

The soft green foliage is attractive throughout the season, and this makes it useful in beds on the shady side of buildings, or under overhangs where shady, reasonably moist conditions exist.

It also appears to be left untouched by browsing deer, making it useful in areas where this is a problem.

Light Preference
Best in partial shade, they will tolerate degrees of shade from light to full shade conditions.

Culture
They are easy to grow, trouble free, and not attacked by any serious pests or diseases; they require very little care or maintenance.

Thriving best in fertile, loamy, woodland type soils that are rich in humus matter, they will establish quicker in new plantations if extra humus (peat, compost, etc.) is incorporated at the time of planting. In established woodland sites, this is often present, so extra may not be needed.

They prefer soils that are on the alkaline side of neutral; in areas with acidic soils an occasional dressing of lime will be beneficial.

Once established, they will tolerate short periods of drier conditions, but if drought conditions persist or if nutrient levels are poor, the foliage may become yellow and straggly. At this point, trim them back to the ground, water and feed, and the bushy, vigorous, new growth will soon reappear.

Background
Native to northern and central Europe, these plants have been grown and gathered by country folk and herbalists for centuries. The name Galium comes from the Greek word gala (milk); Galium verum, a related species, was used to curdle milk in cheese production. Famous English cheeses, like Cheshire and Gloucestershire, are said to have acquired some of their distinctive flavor and color from the use of this plant. The species name odoratum simply means scented, a reference to the flowers and foliage. The common name, sweet woodruff, is from a name given by old herbalists and is based on the French rovelle (a wheel), referring to the spoke-like arrangement, of the whorls of leaves. It appears in literature of the thirteenth century as `Wuderove', then later as `wood-rove'. The other commonly used name is lady's bedstraw, alluding to the use of dried Galium to impart fragrance when put among linens (similar to lavender) or stuffing it into mattresses.

Splendor Suggestions
If you are entertaining in your garden in early May, use it to make some Maiboule (May bowl). This is a delightful, refreshing, traditional drink prepared in Germany. It is prepared by steeping some sprigs in white wine. It is usually served with sugared strawberries on the first day of May.

Companion Plants
As mentioned earlier, it is an excellent ground cover beneath trees and shrubs. The soft green carpet of attractive foliage and little white flowers elegantly blend with all sorts of hardwoods. We like it beneath Dogwoods (Cornus) and Japanese maples (Acer palmatum cultivars), but it will look just as nice with lots of others, including bulbs, perennials, and wild flowers.