Osmorhiza longistylis

'American Sweet Cicely'

Apiaceae: an herbaceous perennial to about 1.2m. Found on rich, often alluvial woods and thickets, often along the sides of streams. The flowers are in flat umbels 5-7cm across at the top of the plant and the ends of branching stems. A cluster is made up of about 5 groups (umbellets) of 8 to 16 flowers each. Blooming from Jun-July. Fruit is a narrow seed about a 2.5cm long, arced slightly, slightly swollen at the tip half, and covered in appressed hairs. The leaves are 1-2 times compound in 3's. Basal and lower stem leaves are long stalked, becoming short stalked to stalkless as they ascend the stem. Native to Eastern North America - Nova Scotia to Ontario, Alabama, Tennessee, Kansas and Colorado.

USES:

The root can be eaten raw or cooked. It is very sweet, aromatic and fleshy, with spicy flavour like anise, the roots are chewed, made into a tea or used as a flavouring, and added to salads. The dry seeds are added to cakes.

A poultice of the roots is used in the treatment of boils and wounds. A tea made from the roots is stomachic. It has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints, kidney problems, amenorrhoea, general debility, to ease childbirth and to bathe sore eyes.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Like Myrrhis odorata 'Sweet Cicely', these seeds need a long prechill or sow in autumn. This seed is best sown in early autumn to germinate the following spring, for me they germinate around April, and they germinate well. If you insist on sowing them in spring, give at least 2 - 4 months cold treatment, and best to freeze a few times during this, after which they should germinate in 1 - 3 months.

Succeeds in any deep moisture-retentive soil in sun or dappled shade. Plants are hardy to about -20°C. Well suited to the wild garden. A sweetly aromatic plant.

NOTES: Seeds sown 1/1/18 started to germinate March 2019.

HARVESTED: 7/2022*

APPROX. 30 SEEDS