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The field of Galium odoratum

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Raimo Ketolainen

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The field of Galium odoratum

Galium odoratum, the sweetscented bedstraw, is a flowering perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to much of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Russia, as well as Western Siberia, Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus,[2] China and Japan.[3] It is also sparingly naturalized in scattered locations in the United States and Canada.[4] It is widely cultivated for its flowers and its sweet-smelling foliage.[5][6][7]

A herbaceous plant, it grows to 30–50 cm (12–20 in) long, often lying flat on the ground or supported by other plants. Its vernacular names include woodruff, sweet woodruff,[8] and wild baby's breath; master of the woods would be a literal translation of the German Waldmeister. It is sometimes confused with Galium triflorum and Galium verum.

It owes its sweet smell to the odoriferous agent coumarin, and is sometimes used as a flavoring agent due to its chemical content.