Asperula orientalis Cloud Nine seeds - Blue Woodruff

Asperula orientalis 'Cloud Nine' is a cultivar of oriental woodruff with white flowers, less known than the sweet woodruff, the familiar woodland perennial. It has been awarded an Approved Novelty by Fleuroselect for its innovative colour in this species. This small annual plant stands out for its numerous qualities. During the summer it is covered with delicate flowers, forming small white clusters. It is subtly scented, attracting a myriad of pollinating insects. Its versatility and charm make it an ideal companion for other plants in the garden or on the terrace. For early summer flowering the following year, sow the seeds between August and September indoors in a seed tray, or directly outdoors in March or April, after the last frosts.

Asperula orientalis belongs to the Rubiaceae family. This species is native to the Caucasus, Iran, Turkey, western Syria, and Iraq. It is an herbaceous annual plant, with very rapid growth, whose life cycle does not exceed a few months. 'Cloud Nine' forms a small clump of leafy stems that do not exceed 30 cm in height with a similar width. Each quadrangular stem bears small narrow and pointed leaves arranged in whorls all around the stem at regular intervals. Flowering occurs in summer, from June to September-October depending on the sowing date. It renews itself for several weeks. At the end of each stem, an inflorescence in the form of an umbellate cluster is formed, composed of numerous small flowers with a long tube flaring into 5 small lobes. The scent of the flowers attracts bees and other butterflies. After pollination, seeds form and easily germinate in light soils.

Oriental woodruff 'Cloud Nine' blends perfectly with a variety of plants in the garden or on the terrace, such as love-in-a-mist or verbena bonariensis. It can be sown directly in borders, perennial and low shrub flowerbeds, as well as in large planters. This annual plant also fits into rockery compositions with cotton lavenders, tall sedums, mugworts and rockroses. This annual plant brings a rustic touch to romantic settings alongside roses and peonies. In a naturalistic garden, it can self-sow among Californian poppies, grasses, gauras, and coneflowers.