Sweet woodruff is a low, shade-loving perennial whose leaves develop a sweet scent of hay and vanilla as they wilt. In Germany it flavours Maibowle, the May wine punch, and green Waldmeister jellies and syrups.
What it is¶
Sweet woodruff is a low, creeping perennial of beech and oak woods, 15–30 cm tall, with slender, square stems carrying neat whorls of six to nine narrow, glossy leaves, like little green ruffs. In April and May it produces clusters of tiny, starry, four-petalled white flowers. It spreads by creeping underground stems to form a dense carpet, and is widely planted as ground cover in shady gardens.
Fresh and growing, it has little scent. Cut a bunch and leave it to wilt for a few hours, and it develops a sweet, warm fragrance of new-mown hay and vanilla — the smell of coumarin. In German it is Waldmeister, "master of the wood"; in Dutch lievevrouwebedstro, "Our Lady's bedstraw" (a name used in English for its relative Galium verum). It belongs to the same genus as the bedstraws and cleavers, and to the same family as coffee.
Origins and history¶
Sweet woodruff was a popular strewing herb in medieval and Tudor houses, laid on floors and stuffed into mattresses and linen chests for its hay-like scent, which lasts for months once the plant is dry. It was hung in churches and made into garlands, especially around Whitsun and on saints' days, and it was a common plant in monastery gardens (see physic-and-monastery-gardens).
The Maibowle or Maiwein tradition is German and old; it is often said to go back to medieval monasteries, though its early history is poorly documented. By the nineteenth century the Maibowle was a fixture of German spring celebrations, and in Arlon, in Belgian Luxembourg, the similar Maitrank has an annual festival.
In the twentieth century green Waldmeister flavour spread from punch to jelly, ice cream, sweets and syrups. German regulations on added coumarin led manufacturers to turn to artificial flavourings, and most Waldmeister products on sale today contain no woodruff at all.
Flavour and aroma¶
Woodruff's aroma is almost entirely coumarin: sweet, warm, hay-like, with vanilla, almond and a faint bitterness. It is the same compound that gives tonka beans, cassia cinnamon and meadow grasses their sweetness.
In the living plant, coumarin is locked away in a non-volatile, bound form (glucosides of coumaric acid). When the leaves are cut and begin to wilt or dry, the cell walls break down, enzymes release the acid and it closes up into coumarin — which is why fresh woodruff smells of almost nothing and wilted woodruff smells wonderful. The flavour is therefore best drawn out by wilting the herb before use and then infusing it briefly.
🔬 Why wilting matters
Freezing the herb for a few hours breaks the cells in much the same way as wilting, and many German cooks put woodruff in the freezer overnight before making a Maibowle.
In the kitchen¶
- Maibowle (May wine): the classic. Wilt a small bunch of woodruff for a few hours, tie it by the stems and hang it, leaves down, in a jug of dry white wine (traditionally Rhine or Moselle Riesling) for 20–30 minutes, keeping the cut ends out of the liquid. Remove it, sweeten lightly if liked, chill and top up with sparkling wine (Sekt) just before serving. Strawberries are a common addition. Brief infusion gives a fresh, sweet flavour; long infusion gives bitterness and more coumarin.
- Maitrank: the Belgian and Luxembourg version, often with a little brandy and orange.
- Waldmeister syrup and jelly: woodruff infused in sugar syrup, which can be used for green jellies (Götterspeise), ice creams, sorbets and to flavour Berliner Weisse beer ("mit Schuss", where the usual choices are raspberry or woodruff syrup).
- Desserts: woodruff-infused cream for panna cotta, custard, ice cream or with strawberries and rhubarb.
- Tea: dried woodruff makes a mild, fragrant herbal tea.
Use a light hand: a little goes a long way, and the flavour turns bitter and medicinal in excess. German advice typically recommends about 3 g of fresh woodruff per litre of liquid.
💡 Pick before flowering
Traditional recipes call for woodruff picked in April or early May, before or just as the flowers open, when the flavour is considered at its best.
Buying and storing¶
Fresh woodruff bunches should be used within a day or two. Drying works very well, since that is when the scent develops: hang small bundles in a warm, airy, dark place until crisp, then store in an airtight jar, where they keep their fragrance for a year or more. See drying-herbs. Throw away any woodruff that has gone mouldy while drying.
Substitutes¶
There is no exact substitute. A small amount of grated tonka bean gives the closest match, since it too is rich in coumarin, but it is much stronger — use no more than a tiny grating. Vanilla gives sweetness without the hay note. For a spring wine cup, elderflower cordial makes a very different but equally seasonal drink.
Pairs well with¶
White wine, sparkling wine, strawberries, rhubarb, apples, cream, vanilla, lemon, honey, elderflower, mint and lemon balm.
Growing your own¶
Sweet woodruff is fully hardy and thrives in shade — under trees and shrubs, on north-facing banks, in woodland gardens — in moist, humus-rich soil. It dislikes hot sun and dry soil, which scorch the leaves. It is best planted from pots or divisions in spring or autumn, 30 cm apart, and it will spread steadily to form a dense mat. Seed is slow and erratic to germinate and needs a period of cold.
It can spread vigorously in good conditions, so give it room or edge it. Cut stems for use in spring before flowering and trim plants after flowering to keep them tidy. See planning-a-herb-garden and propagating-herbs.
Health and safety¶
Coumarin, woodruff's flavour compound, can cause liver damage in sensitive people when eaten in large amounts over time, and high doses cause headaches — a traditional complaint after too much Maibowle, though the wine is the more likely culprit. EFSA has set a tolerable daily intake of 0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight. Occasional culinary use of woodruff at the traditional quantities is not considered a problem, but it is sensible to keep infusions brief and amounts modest, especially for children. See coumarin-in-cinnamon for more on coumarin, which raises the same questions in cassia and tonka beans.
Coumarin itself is not a blood-thinner, but mouldy plants containing coumarin can form dicoumarol, which is. Never use woodruff that has gone mouldy while drying.