Gardening Plant Encyclopedia Perennial Sweet Woodruff By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 31, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Sweet woodruff makes a big statement in the shade garden. In spring, the plants are smothered with white flowers and the foliage has a sweet, hay-like fragrance. It makes a great groundcover for hard-to-plant dark corners of the landscape. Sweet woodruff can become invasive if given the right conditions. Plant it where you can control it easily. It does not tolerate drought. Sweet Woodruff Overview Genus Name Galium odoratum Common Name Sweet Woodruff Plant Type Herb, Perennial Light Part Sun, Shade Height 6 to 12 inches Width 12 to 18 inches Flower Color White Season Features Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom Special Features Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Propagation Division Problem Solvers Groundcover, Slope/Erosion Control Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit