Woodruff is best known for its characteristic taste, which is used in many foods. The flower is also a visually attractive herald of spring in the garden bed or in the pot.

The woodruff as a flower in the garden

As a garden plant, the woodruff falls into the category of ground cover due to its low stature and its method of propagation via root suckers. However, the right location is necessary for good growth. Woodruff grows very well in shady to semi-shady places in the garden, which can also be covered by deciduous trees. But this is practical insofar as only a few flowering plants can flower as well in total shade as the woodruff. In addition, the woodruff, with its flowering period from April to May or June, is one of the first plants, along with lily of the valley and wild garlic, to loosen up the green in the garden with delicate white flowers after the snow cover has melted.

The use of the flower as a flavoring and natural medicine

The flowering plant is harvested in spring for use as an aromatic medicinal herb. It is good if you leave the cut woodruff to wilt overnight in a well-ventilated place before further processing, as the aroma in the blossoms and stalks will then increase again. It can then be scalded with hot water to create products like the following:

  • medicinal teas
  • May punch
  • woodruff lemonade

However, you should only scald the woodruff and not let it soak in hot water, otherwise its dosage will accumulate too much in the water.

tips and tricks

Since woodruff contains a certain amount of the active ingredient coumarin, it should not be consumed too regularly and used for children's lemonades. Although the coumarin can relieve headaches in small doses, these can also occur in the event of an overdose. Liver damage is also possible with excessive consumption.

WK

Category:

Herbs