Woodruff ("Woodderowffe")
Asperula odorata
Family: Rubiaceae
Herbaceous perennial. Native to Europe, Siberia and North Africa.
This is a classicstrewing herb, used during the Middle Ages to purify the
church, the dining hall or the bedroom with its coumarin-rich fragrance.
This same sweetgrass-like odor of (especially) the dried herb is useful
in disguising the smells of unpleasant medicines. The fresh
herb may be steeped in wine, making a pleasant cordial. Cultivation:
Extra care. Best results may be obtained by sowing the seeds outdoors
in the fall, midwinter or very early spring. Expect germination as
the ground warms up. Space plants one foot apart. Prefers rich
forest soil or a shady place in the garden. Flowers white to 1 foot
tall
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