Sweet woodruff is way more than just a low-key, aromatic groundcover. During the spring, it puts on a gorgeous show with tiny, white, star-shaped flowers. These little blooms stick around for months, making this forest favorite a fantastic choice for your garden beds or even a balcony planter.
The Sweet Woodruff Bloom
At first glance, sweet woodruff flowers might seem small and modest. But if you lean in for a closer look, you’ll see their distinct four-petaled cross shape. Since sweet woodruff rarely grows alone in the wild—it loves to spread out—it often creates a stunning “white carpet” effect across the forest floor.
When Does It Bloom?
Sweet woodruff is one of our true harbingers of spring. Just like snowdrops, lily of the valley, or wild garlic, it’s one of the first green plants to poke its head through the late winter soil. You’ll usually see it start blooming in April, with the season stretching through May and sometimes even into June. Those white blossoms are pretty hardy, too, lasting through most of the spring before they slowly fade away.
The Best Time to Harvest
If you’re planning on foraging for wild sweet woodruff, the blooming period is your best bet. When the flowers are out, it’s much easier to tell apart from other green forest plants. Plus, that sea of white makes it a lot easier to spot from a distance!
How to Use the Flowers
Most of us know sweet woodruff for its signature “May wine” aroma. That scent is actually strongest in the stems, especially if you let them wilt or dry out for a day or two. But don’t overlook the flowers! They are great for both culinary treats and home remedies. Some of the most popular uses include:
- Making traditional May wine punch
- Flavoring homemade lemonades and syrups
- Brewing herbal teas
- Creating natural tinctures or remedies
A quick pro-tip for your teas and drinks: only steep the stems and flowers in hot water for a short time. You don’t want to leave them in too long because the plant contains coumarin. While it smells amazing, consuming too much of it isn’t great for you. Because of this, it’s best to avoid giving drinks made with real sweet woodruff to the kiddos.
