Asperula orientalis - Woodruff
Asperula orientalis - Woodruff
Asperula orientalis
Woodruff
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Description
Asperula orientalis, or woodruff, much less known than its perennial cousin the sweet woodruff of our woodland, is a small annual plant that has many qualities. It blooms generously in summer, in the form of small clusters of lavender-coloured flowers, lightly scented and highly visited by pollinating insects. Versatile, charming, easy to grow in sunny or semi-shaded well-drained soil, it accompanies all the flowers in the garden or on the patio: perennials, roses, bushes, and potted plants. Sow the seeds from August to September in a warm tray for early summer flowering the following year, or sow directly in the ground in March-April, after the frost.
Asperula orientalis belongs to the family of Rubiaceae. This species is native to the Caucasus, Iran, Turkey, western Syria, and Iraq. It is an annual herbaceous plant with very rapid growth, whose life cycle does not exceed a few months. Woodruff forms a small clump of leafy stems that does not exceed 30 cm (12in) in height. Each stem, bears narrow and pointed leaves arranged in whorls, that are, inserted in collars all around the stem at regular intervals. Flowering takes place in summer, from June to September-October depending on the sowing date. It lasts 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 long tubes widening into 5 small lobes. Their colour is a soft blue-mauve, with a purple base of the tube. The scent of the flowers attracts bees and other butterflies. After pollination, seeds are formed which will easily germinate in light soils.
Woodruff is used like nigellas or verbena Buenos Aires, to enhance all the plants in the garden or on the patio. You can sow it in borders, in low perennial and bush beds, or in your large planters. It will also mix with rock garden plants such as cotton lavenders, tall sedums, wormwoods, and rockroses... This annual plant brings a touch of country charm to romantic settings, in the company of roses and peonies. In a naturalistic style garden, you will let it freely self-seed with Californian poppies among grasses, gauras, and echinaceas for example.
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Flowering
Foliage
Plant habit
Botanical data
Asperula
orientalis
Rubiaceae
Woodruff
Asperula azurea
Caucasus
Planting and care
Sowing:
Sow from August to September to obtain early summer flowering the following year, or sow directly in the ground from March to April.
- Direct sowing in the ground:
Sow thinly, at a depth of 3 mm (0.2in), in small furrows spaced 30 cm (12in) apart. The soil should have been well prepared and refined with a rake. Regularly water the soil, especially during dry periods. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin out the sowing, leaving 15 cm (6in) of distance between each one.
- Indoor sowing:
Sow in pots or trays filled with slightly moist special seed compost, and cover the seeds with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite. After sowing, keep in a well-lit area as this promotes germination. Maintain a temperature between 15 and 20 °C. Keep the surface of the compost moist but not waterlogged (if necessary, spray generously). Germination generally takes between 14 and 21 days.
When they are large enough to handle, transplant the seedlings into individual pots or buckets measuring 7 cm (3in) on each side. Overwinter the young plants in cool conditions, protected from frost, before planting them the following spring.
Cultivation:
Woodruff is a plant that requires a sunny or semi-shaded exposure (in hot and dry climates). It adapts to most well-drained soils, even poor and limestone or sandy soils. A soil that remains slightly moist will support summer flowering.
Do not over-feed as this would result in excessive leaf development at the expense of flowers.
Sowing period
Intended location
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.