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Asperula conferta

common woodruff

Rubiaceae South-eastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

A low, spreading perennial herb forming loose patches 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) tall and 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) wide, with slender, four-angled stems that scramble through surrounding vegetation. Leaves are narrow and linear, 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) long, arranged in whorls of four to six around the stem. Flowers are tiny, about 0.1-0.2 inch (3-5 mm) across, white to pale pink, tubular with four spreading lobes, in small terminal clusters. Flowering occurs late winter through spring. The crushed foliage releases a coumarin scent as it dries. Fruit a small dry two-lobed nutlet. Spreads by slender rhizomes and self-seeding to form open colonies. Foliage thins in dry summer conditions.

Native Range

Native to south-eastern Australia in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. Grows in grassland, grassy woodland, and moist depressions on clay and loam soils, often among taller herbs and grasses.

Suggested Uses

Used as a groundcover and filler among grasses in native and meadow gardens at 8-12 inch (20-30 cm) spacing. Suits informal plantings where its scrambling stems can knit through other low plants. The dried foliage is used for its hay-like scent.

How to Identify

Recognized by slender four-angled stems, whorls of four to six narrow leaves 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) long, and small white to pale pink tubular flowers in terminal clusters. The dried foliage smells of coumarin, like new-mown hay. The whorled leaves separate it from mat-forming herbs with paired leaves.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 8"

Width/Spread8" - 1'4"

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Winter Spring

Flowers late winter through spring in its native range. The small white flowers open in clusters at the stem tips over several weeks. Each flower is short-lived. Flowering is heaviest in moist conditions following winter rain.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to pale pink

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 3-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Water during dry spells in the growing season; the plant tolerates seasonal drought once established. Grows in full sun to part shade on clay or loam soils with seasonal moisture. Spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding and can weave through other low plants. Cut back after flowering to tidy the patch. Few pests trouble it. No fertilizer is needed in average soils.

Pruning

Trim spent stems after flowering to tidy the patch and reduce self-seeding. Cut back dry summer growth to ground level. The plant reshoots from rhizomes with autumn moisture. No structural pruning is required.

Pruning Schedule

summer