Sweet Cicely

Parts Usually Used

All varieties: Root

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Osmorhiza longistylis: Sweet cicely is a perennial plant; the thick, bundled roots produce branched stems from 1 1/2 to 3 feet tall. The alternate, ternate-pinnate leaves grow on sheathing petioles and have ovate to oblong-ovate leaf segments. The inconspicuous white flowers grow in loose compound umbels during May and June. The whole plant has an anise-like odor, very sweet, aromatic, fleshy; stouter and nearly smooth compared to O.

claytonii. Osmorhiza claytonii: This sweet cicely is a soft-hairy perennial abut 1-3 feet tall. The root is rank-tasting and the leaves fernlike, thrice-compound. The flowers are tiny, white and appear May to June. Myrrhis Odorata: This sweet cicely is a bushy perennial; has a thick root and bright green, fernlike leaves, borne on branching stems that resemble parsley. Very small, clustered white flowers bloom in May and June and are followed by dark brown to black seeds.

All parts of the plant are edible and taste and smell like anise. The flowers retain their anise perfume after drying.

Where Found

Osmorhiza longistylis: Grows in the woodlands of Canada, Alaska, and southward to Colorado and Georgia. Osmorhiza claytonii: Found in moist woods; Nova Scotia to North Carolina mountains; Alabama, Arkansas to Canada. Myrrhis Odorata: Grows throughout Europe and the British Isles, and while not common, it is naturalized in the United States. Grown everywhere in the United States except along the Gulf Coast and in southern Florida, where the winters are too warm.

Medicinal Properties

Osmorhiza longistylis: Carminative, expectorant, stomachic Osmorhiza claytonii: Carminative, expectorant, stomachic Myrrhis Odorata: Aromatic, carminative, expectorant, stomachic

Legends, Myths and Stories

Some references claim sweet cicely belongs to the parsley or carrot family, but Webster’s Dictionary states clearly that it belongs to the umbel family. There is an herb known to the Blackfeet Indians as Paoh-coi-au-saukas; it is called sweet cicely (Washingtonia divaricata). “Smell mouth”. Roots placed in mares’ mouth, and made to chew them. Drinks more water, and put them in good condition for foaling.

The green seeds taste like licorice candy. Throughout the writings on sweet cicely are references to other plants it resembles: chervil, ferns, hemlock, and anise. Sweet cicely is the herb that just doesn’t seem to have a personality of its own. The plant is strongly scented. Curiously, the plant has no recorded history of use for its scent, its botanical name, Myrrhis odorata, is derived from the Greek for perfume.

One herbalist reports that in sections of England it is called the Roman plant and suggests that this name may be a clue to its original introduction. ” The roots were placed in a mares’ mouth, and made to chew them. The mares drinks more water, and puts them in good condition for foaling.

Uses

Historically, herbalists used the root of Osmorhiza longistylis in a manner similar to anise, administering it for flatulence, mucous congestion, indigestion, and diminished appetite, as well as for cramps, nausea, and coughs. The water distilled from the plant was traditionally used as an eyewash, while infusions were taken to encourage the onset of menstruation. Herbalists also employed the oil to address spasms and stomach complaints, while the seeds were combined with warm milk for sleeplessness.

Salves made from the plant were applied externally for lice. Native American traditions included poulticing the root on wounds. Due to its naturally sweet flavor, the root was frequently added to improve the palatability of other medicinal preparations, and it was sometimes eaten raw or steeped in brandy. Native American groups chewed the root of Osmorhiza claytonii or gargled a root tea for sore throats and coughs.

They also applied root poultices to cuts, sores, and wounds, and used the tea as a wash for irritated eyes. Myrrhis odorata was similarly utilized for its anise-like qualities. Folk traditions involved eating the fresh root as a stomach tonic, as an appetite stimulant, and to address flatulence and coughs. Root infusions were given to encourage menstruation, while the fresh juice was applied externally to ulcers.

Bibliography

Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023 The Rodale Herb Book: How to Use, Grow, and Buy Nature’s Miracle Plants (An Organic gardening and farming book) , edited by William H.

Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. , 1974