table of contents
- In the nature
- distribution
- In the garden
- In the pot
- To harvest
- frequently asked Questions
Woodruff, also known as "Fragrant Bedstraw" or "Maikraut", is an old herb and medicinal plant. That is why collecting the plants has a centuries-old tradition in this country. But where does the maize herb actually grow?
In a nutshell
- mainly found in deciduous forests
- Ground cover in the shade under the trees
- also grows in the garden or in pots
In the nature
Woodruff (bot. Galium odoratum) grows, as the name suggests, in the forest. In Central Europe you can find the herbaceous plant in:
- European beech forests (most common)
- Oak-hornbeam forests
- Mixed forests
- Coniferous forests (rather rare)
Note: In the mountains, the maize herb occurs at altitudes of 1,400 meters.
In these forests, Galium odoratum grows as a ground cover under the trees. The woodruff's height is around 40 centimeters. Since the plant reproduces via runners, you can find real carpets in some places.
Tip: An old popular saying goes: Wherever there is a lot of evergreen, there is also a lot of woodruff.
distribution
It's growing in Germany Bedstraw almost nationwide. This is because the so-called. Woodruff beech forests (Asperulo-Fagetum) are widespread in almost all federal states in this country. There are “white spots” of this special habitat in Brandenburg, in eastern Saxony-Anhalt, in northern Lower Saxony, in Berlin, in the north of Saxony and in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia.
In the garden
An alternative to collecting the bedstraw is to grow it in your own garden. As in the wild, a shady location is ideal, but a partially shaded location is also tolerated. Ideally, they plant it:
- in a shady garden area
- in the shadow of a cool house wall
- under deciduous trees
A acts as the "forest floor"
- humosier
- as calcareous as possible (slightly acidic to alkaline)
- always slightly more humid
- more permeable
Floor. From the forest master's point of view, sandy loam soil is ideal.
In the pot
To offer Galium odoratum conditions in the container culture that come very close to a forest is not that easy, but it is entirely possible. As in the garden, the location should be shady on the balcony or terrace. The pot should not be chosen too small so that the roots have space to spread out.
The substrate for the "forest floor" should
- relaxed
- humus
- calcareous
- mixed with some beech leaves
be. To create a natural water reservoir, line the bottom of the pot and walls with clay.
Note: In the bucket culture, woodruff is not hardy and therefore needs protection from cold and frost.
To harvest
The harvest time of cornwort, when used in food and drink, is before flowering. According to the calendar, this time falls between March and May. If it is grown in the garden or in a pot, you should give the plants time to develop in the first year and only harvest Galium odoratum in the following year.
frequently asked Questions
In principle yes, but it must also be in the shade in the raised bed. You can, for example, place it under higher plants or on the shady edge of the bed. You should also bear in mind that the plants form runners and these can quickly overgrow the raised bed.
In these forests, red plants from the plant genus Galium (rennet herbs) belong to the herb layer along with various sedges and lilies of the valley. These habitats are mostly small and can be found mainly in the south and central parts of Germany.
In forests, woodruff prefers loose, fresh, base-rich and nutrient-rich soils.