Sweet Woodruff is a cover crop — grown to build and protect the soil rather than for a harvest of its own. Notably, it shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its summer flowers are a modest draw for honeybees and native bees.
Zones
Data not available
pH Range
4.3-8.3
Sun
Shade
Days to Maturity
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Score Sweet Woodruff on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether sweet woodruff actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score sweet woodruff against your land's real conditions.
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What Sweet Woodruff is
Sweet Woodruff grows as a perennial and reaches around a foot at maturity. It blooms white in summer. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Sweet Woodruff
Sweet Woodruff does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.3 to 8.3, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
Data not available
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.3 - 8.3
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Shade
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
1 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
0+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant sweet woodruff in shade with at least 2 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Sweet Woodruff prefers pH 4.3 to 8.3 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Turn it in before it seeds
Cut sweet woodruff down or turn it into the soil before it sets seed, while the growth is still green — that's when it returns the most to the ground.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — sweet woodruff isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Sweet Woodruff offers low value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Sweet Woodruff thrives
Whether sweet woodruff thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
See if Sweet Woodruff will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether sweet woodruff actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Sweet Woodruff in my zone?
Zone data for sweet woodruff is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.
When should you plant Sweet Woodruff?
Most growers plant sweet woodruff after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Sweet Woodruff need?
Sweet Woodruff is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Sweet Woodruff need?
Sweet Woodruff prefers soil pH 4.3 to 8.3, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Sweet Woodruff attract pollinators?
Yes — sweet woodruff's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Sweet Woodruff safe for pets?
Sweet Woodruff is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.