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Herb Partial Shade OK Regular water

Sweet Woodruff

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Shade-loving groundcover with vanilla-scented leaves. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -20°C, sweet woodruff performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 10°C and 20°C. It needs partial shade, though it appreciates some direct light and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist — leaves are ready for picking in about 365-545 days. Valued in cuisines worldwide, it is easy to grow and rewards regular harvesting with bushier, more productive plants.

Harvest 365-545 days
Temp Range -20°C — 26°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Sweet Woodruff

Sweet Woodruff takes 365-545 days to harvest. It grows best in 10–20°C with partial shade ok and regular watering. Sweet Woodruff is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -20°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Sweet Woodruff in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Partial Shade OK
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
365-545 days

Temperature Range

10-20°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 10–20°C Tolerates: -20–26°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Perfect shade garden groundcover. Spreads by runners. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -20°C to 26°C
  • Optimal growing: 10°C to 20°C
  • Harvest in 365-545 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Sweet Woodruff is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is an ideal groundcover for dry or moist shade — one of few herbs that actually thrives under trees where little else will grow. It prefers humus-rich, well-draining soil with a pH of 5.5–7.0, with some moisture retention. Plant in partial to full shade; in deep shade it grows more vigorously than in direct sun where it struggles and scorches. Space plants 30 cm apart; they spread by underground runners to form a weed-suppressing carpet. Water regularly during the first growing season to establish the root system, then the plant becomes largely self-sufficient in shaded conditions where soil moisture is retained. No fertilising is needed in typical woodland-type conditions; a light top-dressing of leaf mould in autumn provides sufficient nutrition. The delicate white star flowers appear in April–May, complementing the whorled, bright green foliage.

Common Pests & Problems

Powdery mildew can affect plants in hot, dry, or sunny conditions — keep in appropriate shade and ensure soil moisture is maintained. Slugs and snails damage young spring growth; apply iron phosphate pellets around emerging growth in early spring. Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) adults notch leaf margins and larvae attack roots — apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to soil in late summer. Sweet woodruff is generally very robust and mostly pest-free in appropriate woodland conditions — the aromatic coumarin compounds in the leaves deter many common insect pests. Crown rot can occur in very heavy, waterlogged soils; improve drainage with grit incorporation.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest sweet woodruff stems just before or during flowering in late spring — this is when the coumarin content, responsible for the characteristic vanilla-hay scent, is highest. Cut stems back by a third. Fresh leaves are nearly odourless; the coumarin develops and intensifies as the plant dries. Bundle small groups and hang upside down in a warm, well-ventilated dark space for 2–3 weeks until completely dry. Dried woodruff has a remarkably long shelf life — stored in airtight containers away from light, it remains potent for 2 years. Traditionally used to make Maiwein (May wine) by steeping 2–3 fresh sprigs in white wine for 30 minutes — do not steep too long as excessive coumarin is mildly toxic.

Popular Varieties

Galium odoratum is the only species in common cultivation; no distinctly named horticultural cultivars exist commercially. Plants from different seed sources show minor variation in vigour, leaf size, and spreading habit. Some suppliers list 'Variegata' (variegated sweet woodruff) with cream-edged leaves, but this is extremely rare in commerce. The plant is reliably consistent and predictable; the primary consideration when sourcing is buying from a reputable herb nursery to ensure it is the correct fragrant species rather than related but less aromatic Galium species.

Where to Grow Sweet Woodruff

Sweet Woodruff can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍

Europe

80 cities
🌏

Asia

79 cities
🌎

North America

78 cities
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Africa

39 cities
🌎

South America

39 cities
🌊

Oceania

19 cities
🕌

Middle East

16 cities

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
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Amsterdam, NL medium
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Ankara, TR medium
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Antalya, TR medium
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Athens, GR medium
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Barcelona, ES medium
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Bari, IT medium
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Belgrade, RS medium
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Bergen, NO medium
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Berlin, DE medium
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Bilbao, ES medium
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Bologna, IT medium
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Bordeaux, FR medium
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Bratislava, SK medium
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Brussels, BE medium
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Bucharest, RO medium
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Budapest, HU medium
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Catania, IT medium
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Cologne, DE medium
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Copenhagen, DK medium
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Corfu, GR medium
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Cork, IE medium
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Dublin, IE medium
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Dubrovnik, HR medium
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Edinburgh, GB medium
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Florence, IT medium
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Frankfurt, DE medium
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Gdansk, PL medium
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Genoa, IT medium
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Glasgow, GB medium
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Gothenburg, SE medium
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Hamburg, DE medium
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Helsinki, FI medium
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Heraklion, GR medium
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Istanbul, TR medium
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Izmir, TR medium
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Krakow, PL medium
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Kyiv, UA medium
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Limassol, CY medium
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Lisbon, PT medium
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Ljubljana, SI medium
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London, GB medium
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Lyon, FR medium
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Madrid, ES medium
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Malaga, ES medium
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Marseille, FR medium
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Milan, IT medium
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Munich, DE medium
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Naples, IT medium
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Nice, FR medium
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Nicosia, CY medium
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Oslo, NO medium
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Palermo, IT medium
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Paris, FR medium
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Porto, PT medium
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Poznan, PL medium
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Prague, CZ medium
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Reykjavik, IS medium
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Riga, LV medium
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Rome, IT medium
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Seville, ES medium
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Sofia, BG medium
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Split, HR medium
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Stockholm, SE medium
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Strasbourg, FR medium
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Stuttgart, DE medium
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Tallinn, EE medium
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Thessaloniki, GR medium
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Tirana, AL medium
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Toulouse, FR medium
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Turin, IT medium
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Turku, FI medium
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Valencia, ES medium
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Valletta, MT medium
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Verona, IT medium
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Vienna, AT medium
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Vilnius, LT medium
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Warsaw, PL medium
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Zagreb, HR medium
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Zurich, CH medium
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
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Almaty, KZ medium
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Bali, ID medium
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Bandung, ID medium
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Bangalore, IN medium
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Bangkok, TH medium
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Beijing, CN medium
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Busan, KR medium
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Cebu, PH medium
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Chandigarh, IN medium
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Chengdu, CN medium
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Chennai, IN medium
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Chiang Mai, TH medium
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Chittagong, BD medium
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Chongqing, CN medium
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Coimbatore, IN medium
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Colombo, LK medium
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Da Nang, VN medium
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Dalian, CN medium
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Davao, PH medium
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Delhi, IN medium
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Dhaka, BD medium
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Dharan, NP medium
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Fukuoka, JP medium
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Galle, LK medium
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Guangzhou, CN medium
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Hangzhou, CN medium
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Hanoi, VN medium
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Harbin, CN medium
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
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Hong Kong, HK medium
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Hyderabad, IN medium
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Incheon, KR medium
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Indore, IN medium
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Islamabad, PK medium
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Jaipur, IN medium
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Jakarta, ID medium
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Jeju, KR medium
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Johor Bahru, MY medium
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Karachi, PK medium
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Kathmandu, NP medium
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Kochi, IN medium
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Kolkata, IN medium
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Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
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Kunming, CN medium
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Kyoto, JP medium
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Lahore, PK medium
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Lucknow, IN medium
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Manila, PH medium
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Mumbai, IN medium
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Nagoya, JP medium
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Nanjing, CN medium
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Nha Trang, VN medium
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Okinawa, JP medium
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Osaka, JP medium
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Pattaya, TH medium
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Penang, MY medium
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Phnom Penh, KH medium
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Pune, IN medium
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Sapporo, JP medium
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Seoul, KR medium
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Shanghai, CN medium
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Shenzhen, CN medium
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Siem Reap, KH medium
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Singapore, SG medium
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Surabaya, ID medium
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Surat, IN medium
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Taipei, TW medium
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Tashkent, UZ medium
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Tbilisi, GE medium
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Tokyo, JP medium
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Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
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Varanasi, IN medium
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Vientiane, LA medium
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Visakhapatnam, IN medium
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Wuhan, CN medium
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Xi'an, CN medium
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Xiamen, CN medium
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Yangon, MM medium
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
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Anchorage, US medium
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Atlanta, US medium
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Austin, US medium
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Baltimore, US medium
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Baton Rouge, US medium
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Boise, US medium
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Boston, US medium
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Bridgetown, BB medium
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Buffalo, US medium
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Calgary, CA medium
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Cancun, MX medium
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Charleston, US medium
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Charlotte, US medium
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Chattanooga, US medium
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Chicago, US medium
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Denver, US medium
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Des Moines, US medium
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Detroit, US medium
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Edmonton, CA medium
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El Paso, US medium
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Fargo, US medium
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Fresno, US medium
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Guadalajara, MX medium
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Halifax, CA medium
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Hartford, US medium
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Havana, CU medium
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Honolulu, US medium
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Houston, US medium
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Jacksonville, US medium
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Kansas City, US medium
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Kingston, JM medium
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Knoxville, US medium
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Las Vegas, US medium
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Little Rock, US medium
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Los Angeles, US medium
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Louisville, US medium
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Lubbock, US medium
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Madison, US medium
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Memphis, US medium
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Mexico City, MX medium
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Miami, US medium
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Milwaukee, US medium
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Minneapolis, US medium
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Monterrey, MX medium
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Montreal, CA medium
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Nashville, US medium
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New Orleans, US medium
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New York, US medium
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Oaxaca, MX medium
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Oklahoma City, US medium
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Omaha, US medium
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Ottawa, CA medium
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Panama City, PA medium
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Phoenix, US medium
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Pittsburgh, US medium
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Portland, US medium
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Puebla, MX medium
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Quebec City, CA medium
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Raleigh, US medium
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Richmond, US medium
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Sacramento, US medium
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Salt Lake City, US medium
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San Diego, US medium
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San Francisco, US medium
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San Jose, CR medium
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Santo Domingo, DO medium
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Saskatoon, CA medium
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Savannah, US medium
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Seattle, US medium
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Spokane, US medium
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St. Louis, US medium
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Tampa, US medium
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Toronto, CA medium
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Tucson, US medium
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Vancouver, CA medium
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Victoria, CA medium
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Winnipeg, CA medium
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
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Accra, GH medium
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Addis Ababa, ET medium
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Algiers, DZ medium
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Antananarivo, MG medium
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Arusha, TZ medium
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Bamako, ML medium
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Bloemfontein, ZA medium
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Cairo, EG medium
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Cape Town, ZA medium
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Casablanca, MA medium
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Dakar, SN medium
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Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
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Douala, CM medium
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Durban, ZA medium
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Entebbe, UG medium
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Fez, MA medium
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Freetown, SL medium
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Harare, ZW medium
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Johannesburg, ZA medium
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Kampala, UG medium
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Kigali, RW medium
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Kinshasa, CD medium
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Lagos, NG medium
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Libreville, GA medium
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Lilongwe, MW medium
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Lome, TG medium
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Luanda, AO medium
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Lusaka, ZM medium
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Maputo, MZ medium
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Marrakech, MA medium
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Mombasa, KE medium
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Nairobi, KE medium
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Ouagadougou, BF medium
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Port Louis, MU medium
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Pretoria, ZA medium
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Tunis, TN medium
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Windhoek, NA medium
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Zanzibar, TZ medium
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
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Asuncion, PY medium
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Barranquilla, CO medium
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Belem, BR medium
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Bogota, CO medium
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Brasilia, BR medium
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Buenos Aires, AR medium
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Cali, CO medium
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Campinas, BR medium
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Caracas, VE medium
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Cartagena, CO medium
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Concepcion, CL medium
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Cordoba, AR medium
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Curitiba, BR medium
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Cusco, PE medium
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Fortaleza, BR medium
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Georgetown, GY medium
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Goiania, BR medium
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Guayaquil, EC medium
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La Paz, BO medium
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Lima, PE medium
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Manaus, BR medium
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Medellin, CO medium
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Mendoza, AR medium
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Montevideo, UY medium
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Paramaribo, SR medium
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Port of Spain, TT medium
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Porto Alegre, BR medium
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Quito, EC medium
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Recife, BR medium
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Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
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Rosario, AR medium
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Salvador, BR medium
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Santa Cruz, BO medium
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Santiago, CL medium
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Sao Paulo, BR medium
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Sucre, BO medium
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Trujillo, PE medium
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Valparaiso, CL medium
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
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Alice Springs, AU medium
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Auckland, NZ medium
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Brisbane, AU medium
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Cairns, AU medium
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Canberra, AU medium
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Christchurch, NZ medium
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Darwin, AU medium
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Dunedin, NZ medium
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Gold Coast, AU medium
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Hamilton, NZ medium
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Hobart, AU medium
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Melbourne, AU medium
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Noumea, NC medium
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Perth, AU medium
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Suva, FJ medium
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Sydney, AU medium
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Townsville, AU medium
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Wellington, NZ medium
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
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Amman, JO medium
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Baghdad, IQ medium
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Beirut, LB medium
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Doha, QA medium
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Dubai, AE medium
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Erbil, IQ medium
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Jeddah, SA medium
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Kuwait City, KW medium
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Manama, BH medium
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Muscat, OM medium
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Riyadh, SA medium
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Sana'a, YE medium
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Tabriz, IR medium
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Tehran, IR medium
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Tel Aviv, IL medium
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✓

When should I plant sweet woodruff in my city?

The best time to plant sweet woodruff depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. Since sweet woodruff is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow sweet woodruff in winter?

Yes, sweet woodruff is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -20°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Sweet Woodruff Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Sweet Woodruff seeds and starter plants online.

Shop on Burpee Search on Amazon

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Similar Growing Requirements

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Vegetable · Partial Shade OK

5-18°C
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Mint

Herb · Partial Shade OK

12-22°C
🌿

Rosemary

Herb · Full Sun

15-25°C
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Cilantro

Herb · Full Sun to Partial Shade

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Lavender

Herb · Full Sun

15-28°C

Frequently Asked Questions about Sweet Woodruff

When should I plant sweet woodruff?

The best time to plant sweet woodruff depends on your local climate. Sweet Woodruff grows best in temperatures between 10°C and 20°C (can tolerate -20°C to 26°C). Sweet Woodruff is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can sweet woodruff grow in tropical climates?

Sweet Woodruff is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does sweet woodruff take to grow?

Sweet Woodruff typically takes 365-545 days from planting to harvest. It requires partial shade ok and regular watering. Perfect shade garden groundcover. Spreads by runners. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Sweet Woodruff

See the planting calendar for Sweet Woodruff in these popular cities:

London, GBMumbai, INNew York, USParis, FRSingapore, SGSydney, AUTokyo, JPToronto, CA

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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