As the epithet odoratum suggests, the plant is strongly scented, the sweet scent being derived from coumarin. This scent increases on wilting and then persists on drying, and the dried plant is used in potpourri and as a moth deterrent.
The concentration of the toxic alkaloids is often highest in the rhizomes and lowest in the leaves, and may vary depending on where the plants are grown. These chemicals are toxic to the liver and may cause cancers.
