Are these the same herbs or differnent plants? And are one or the other of them (supposing they are different) related to the same family of herbs that Cleavers (Sticky Willy) belong to?
Does the dried plant really have a vanilla smell?
Thx.
Woodruff = Sweet Woodruff??
Hi ScotDeerie ~ you made me look this one up. I am unable to say woodruff and sweet woodruff are different. I suspect they are the same, my books only catalogue it under the Sweet Woodruff name but in descriptions refer to it as woodruff.
My herbal book that lists Cleavers (ugh) is at work so I will look in it tomorrow. All references also say yes the dried plant imparts a vanilla odor. The vanilla scent is lent by coumarin ~ a common blood thinner. Amazing as I planted a pot of vanilla grass this spring. It too has coumarin in it and the vanilla odor.
Maybe someone with more experience with this plant can impart more knowledge for you.
Cleavers season here....
I know it as Waldmeister. I believe the two are the same.
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_sweet_woodruff.htm
Neat link! Thanks G_M
Now that you know how to make Maywine (Maiwein), you can gleefully dance around the May Pole!
LOL ~ now I'll have to produce the Maiwein as well as the May Pole!
I retrieved my reference book on Cleavers a member of the Madder family ~ Rubiaceae and Sweet Woodruff is a member of the Madder family ~ Rubiaceae. In this book the common name ~ Waldmeister is also listed.
Once again, ScotDeerie you are correct, same family! Are you growing one or both?
I'm not yet (except for Cleavers growing where it's not supposed to, of course) but I probably will this summer. I have a checkerboard garden I want to fill with herbs plus I just got turned on to some of the herbal uses of Cleavers in tea form. There was a specific reason I was looking into Woodruff, too, but I'll be darned if I can remember why right now. Either I need to start making notes to myself or I need to find a herbal remedy for senility. :P