Caucasian Crosswort (Phuopsis stylosa) seeds

The Caucasian crosswort has been known as a cultivated plant in Central Europe since the early 19th century and is a standard item in any well-stocked nursery. However, it is very rarely seen in home gardens. This is surprising because it is a truly beautiful and attractive wildflower for semi-shaded locations and a wonderful ornamental plant with its striking round, pink to pink-colored ball-shaped flowers.

The native region of the Caucasian crosswort is the Caucasus, Iran, and eastern Turkey. There, it is found in dense carpets in open woodlands or at the edges of woods under trees and shrubs. With sufficient water supply, the perennial also thrives in sunnier locations. In home gardens, the Caucasian crosswort fits well in rock gardens, in front of dry stone walls, under rose bushes, or other light shrubs. The plant is easy to care for and likes to spread in a mat-like fashion. A strong pruning after the first bloom encourages a second flowering.

The plant carries the word woodruff in its name because the Caucasian crosswort is indeed related to our native woodruff. Both plants contain coumarin, the active ingredient responsible for the typical woodruff scent. However, the coumarin content in the Caucasian crosswort is much higher, and so the scent is also quite different, which can be especially noticeable in high humidity or rain. Whether the spicy-sweet scent is pleasant or unpleasant is a matter of debate, and each person must come to their own conclusion.