Herb of the Month

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

Marianne Hughes, with illustration by Hazel Brady

Sweet Woodruff’s Latin name, Galium odoratum, offers a clue to one of its uses. In Medieval and Elizabethan gardens, herbs were often grown for the purpose of strewing. Before beds were common, domestic stone and earth floors would be covered with dried Rushes (Juncus effusus) for insulation and softness in the sleeping area. As these coverings would only be changed once or twice a year, they accumulated dropped food, spilled drinks, mud, fleas, and anything else you’d like (or not like) to imagine. This very compostable mixture must have smelled distinctive, to say the least. Hence, from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries, seasonally available herbs, either simply dried or in other preparation form, were often added on top of the Rushes. While many such strewing herbs were valued for their aroma, others had cleansing or pest-repellent qualities. Herbs of the genus Mentha (Mint)— particularly Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) —are flea and tick repellents. Sweet Woodruff also helped to repel unwanted bugs.

Visiting England in 1560, Dutch traveller Levimus Leminius recorded:

Their chambers and parlours strawed over with sweet herbes refreshed mee; their nosegays finely intermingled with the sundry sorts of fragaunt floures, in their bed chambers and privy rooms with comfortable smell cheered me up and entirely delygted my senses (Amherst, 1896).

Nowadays, spring-cleaning may not be so necessary, nor meet with the enthusiasm of the past, but well-dried herbs continue to be domestically useful. We still place small bags of herbs under cushions, between mattress and mattress cover— where warmth and pressure help to release their aromas —and amongst our stored woollens.

Sweet Woodruff also has medicinal uses. Kenicer (2018) cites Beith’s (2004) explanation of the Gaelic name for Sweet Woodruff— lus na caithimh, meaning ‘wasting wort’ —which reflects its common application in treating ‘wasting diseases’, or respiratory infections. Our herb belongs to the Rubiaceae family, and these herbs accrue anthraquinones in their roots. The anthraquinone content provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antimicrobial actions which support wound healing (Das et al, 2010; Kumar et al, 2007). The crushed leaves, which contain tannins, have also been shown to reduce swelling and accelerate wound healing when used topically. Indeed, we find Sweet Woodruff used as a remedy for wounds and cuts as far back as the Middle Ages (Grieve, 1931).

Usefully, like Plantain (Plantago major), our herb is evergreen. Thus, Sweet Woodruff makes good ground cover in shady, deciduous areas. It also contains asperuloside, which produces the coumarin that gives off a sweet smell as the foliage dries. Asperuloside is an iridoid glycoside, which can be converted to prostaglandins. These are hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and have an anticoagulant impact in the blood vessels. Pengelly (2004) notes that iridoid glycosides are often referred to as ‘bitters’, and are also known to stimulate the release of gastrin in the gastrointestinal tract, improving appetite and assisting pancreatic function. Bown (2008) suggests Sweet Woodruff for improving liver function, addressing bile obstruction, and treating hepatitis and jaundice. Perhaps this action explains why there are references as far back as 1554 (Dodoen, 1554) to steeping Sweet Woodruff in wine. In Germany, a popular hock cup is made by steeping fresh sprigs in Rhine wine to produce a delightful drink known as Maibowle, traditionally drunk on the first of May (Grieve 1931).

Happy May Day!

References

Amherst, A. (2014) A History of Gardening in England. 1896 edition. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge

Beith, M. (2004) Healing Threads: Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands. Birlinn: Edinburgh

Bown, D. (2008) Encyclopaedia of Herbs. Royal Horticultural Society, Dorling Kindersley: London

Das, K.; Tiwari, R.K.S.; and Shrivastava, D.K (2010) ‘Techniques for evaluation of medicinal plant products as antimicrobial agent: Current methods and future trends’, in Journal of Medicinal Plant Research (4):104-110

Dodoens, R. (1554) Cruydeboecks. J. van der Hoe: Antwerp

Grieve, M. (1931) A Modern Herbal. Tiger Books International: London

Kenicer, G.J. (2018) Scottish Plant Lore: An illustrated flora. Royal Botanic Garden: Edinburgh

Kumar, B.; Vijayakumar, M.; Govindarajan, R.; and Pushpangadan, P. (2007) ‘Ethnopharmacological approaches to wound healing – exploring medicinal plants’, in Indian Journal of Ethnopharmacology (114):103-110

Pengelly, A. (2004) The Constituents of Medicinal Plants: An introduction to the chemistry and therapeutics of herbal medicine. CABI Publishing: Oxfordshire