Wild Sweet Cicely Osmorhiza claytonii

Wild Sweet Cicely Osmorhiza claytonii is blooming at the Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden, on May 26, 2016.

Osmorhiza is a genus of perennial herbs, known generally as sweet cicely, sweetcicely, or sweetroot. Most species are native to North America, but some grow in South America and Asia. 

Description: light green lacy leaves, delicate umbels of white flowers and the long, pointed seeds, smell of sweet aniseed when crushed.

Some species are used for medicinal purposes, but have dangerous lookalikes. The seeds of this plant have barbs on the end allowing them to stick to clothing, fur, or feathers.

Osmorhiza claytonii

American Indians used the roots of sweet cicely as a panacea; tonic for upset stomach, to ease child birth; the root was poulticed on boils, and wounds; root tea used as an eye wash.

Folk medicine uses include, an expectorant, tonic for coughs and for stomachaches.


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