The Plant

Galium odoratum, better known as woodruff, or, in German, waldmeister, is a short-lived plant native to central Europe and western Asia.

It grows approximately 30-50cm tall and is mostly found in tempered, moist and shaded forests. Its leaves are lance shaped and borne in whorls, ranging from 6 to 9. In may, when waldmeister blossoms, small white flowers with 4 petals each grow in small clusters at the end of thin stems.

But the real value lies in its smell and taste. Coumarin is the agent that gives the recognisable scent. It is used in Waldmeisterbowle, syrups, soft drinks and jellies. And most importantly, for me at least, Waldmeister flavored Ahoj-Brause. A fizzy sherbet powder to make lemonade at home.​

Interestingly deer and chicken avoid eating it. Despite its phenomenal scent and flavour... That's what Wikipedia claims at least.

And me

I’m arrogant enough to claim this plants name for my site and me. Out of a few reasons:

In German, waldmeister is both the name of this plant and a word used for a person who is an expert in forests. Pretty cool ambiguity, right?

Not that I’m an expert, far from that, but I mean it sounds cool. And naming myself something like mountain expert would be too much then, wouldn’t it?

Additionally, waldmeister is beautiful, smells and tastes awesome. It gives some forests its intense fresh character and lightness. I’d love to be as characteristic and recognisable as its smell and share the same lightness myself.  

​Waldmeister Ahoj-Brause, the sherbet powder, was one of my favourite sweets of my childhood. That’s why the plant is triggering nostalgia and sweet moments for me.