Woodruff

Woodruff is a plant from the Rubiaceae family that is native to Europe, Siberia and North Africa. Woodruff is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows to a height of between 10 and 50 cm. It grows in sparse deciduous forests and exudes a delicate, peculiar scent of fresh hay. Woodruff blooms from mid-April to the beginning of May with delicate small white flowers.

Woodruff is the parent plant of Herba Asperulae (odoratae), the woodruff herb.

The leaves of woodruff contain coumarin (characteristic smell of woodruff), which is formed from the glucoside meliolotoside (this process only takes place through hydrolysis during wilting). Tannins(caffeic and gallic acid), bitter substances, asperuloside (iridoid glycoside).

The leaves of woodruff are often used for punch, jelly and other desserts.

The extract is used in folk medicine for bile and stone diseases (dubious effect).

The woodruff belongs to the genus of rennet herbs, which is very rich in species with about 650 species. In addition to woodruff, the burdock bedstraw (Galium aparine), the meadow bedstraw (Galium mollugo) and the true bedstraw (Galium verum) are used for folk medicine.