Sweet Woodruff - Asperula odorata

Woodruff, as the scientific name odoratum suggests, is a strongly scented plant, the sweet scent being derived from coumarin. This scent increases on wilting and then persists on drying, and woodruff is used in pot-pourri and as a moth deterrent. It is also used, mainly in Germany, to flavour May wine (called "Maiwein" or "Maibowle" in German), beer (Berliner Weisse), brandy, sausages, jelly, jam, a soft drink (Tarchun), and a herbal tea with gentle sedative properties. This plant prefers partial to full shade in moist, rich soils. In dry summers it needs frequent irrigation.