Osmorhiza Sp. - Sweet-cicely

Family: Apiaceae [E-flora]

Poisonous Lookalikes, Choking Hazard Roots, Leaves, Seeds Root
Osmorhiza chilensis leaf
Osmorhiza chilensis (Osmorhiza berteroi)
(Wikimedia)1
Osmorhiza berteroi aerial parts
Osmorhiza berteroi
(Wikimedia)2
Osmorhiza berteroi aerial parts
Osmorhiza berteroi
(Wikimedia)3

Image References

"Perennial herb, ± glabrous to hairy; roots thick, clustered, licorice-scented. Stem: branched, leafy. Leaf: blade oblong to triangular-ovate, 2-pinnate or ternate-pinnate or 2–3-ternate, leaflets lanceolate to round. Inflorescence: umbels compound; bracts 0; bractlets 0–several, conspicuous; rays, pedicels few, spreading-ascending to spreading. Flower: calyx lobes 0; petals obovate, white, purple, or ± green-yellow (± green-white), tips narrowed; disk occasionally present. Fruit: linear to oblong, cylindric to club-shaped, ± compressed side-to-side, bristly to glabrous; base obtuse or long-tapered into tail, tip tapered into beak or obtuse; ribs thread-like; oil tubes obscure; fruit axis divided in distal 1/2. Seed: face concave or grooved.
± 10 species: America, eastern and southern Asia. (Greek: sweet root) [Lowry & Jones 1985 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 71:1128–1171]" [Jepson]

Local Species;

  1. Osmorhiza berteroi - mountain sweet-cicely [E-flora]
  2. Osmorhiza depauperata - blunt-fruited sweet-cicely [E-flora]
  3. Osmorhiza occidentalis - western sweet-cicely [E-flora]
  4. Osmorhiza purpurea - purple sweet-cicely [E-flora]

"Perennials from thickened aromatic roots; leaves mostly basal, ternately decompound; flowers white, greenish-yellow or purple, in compound umbels; calyx teeth obsolete; fruit linear to oblong or club-shaped." [HNW]

Hazards

Species Mentioned

Lookalikes

"Lookalikes: When immature-many, including baneberry" [WPC] "Caution: Don't confuse this plant with water hemlock (page 128) and poison hemlock and related poisonous plants" [Wildman] "Baneberry's leaf shape is similar to that of Osmorhiza species ( p. 217); compare their silhouettes." [PCBC]

"The sharp-pointed, bristly fruits can cause choking if inadvertently swallowed with berries or other food. Indigenous People warn against them, and believe they can travel in the bloodstream. Do not confuse this plant with its poisonous relatives, poison-hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water-hemlock (Cicuta spp.)" [Turner&Kuhnlein] "SWEETCICELYS, or SWEETROOTS (Osmorhiza spp.). Spine-like fruits can become embedded in skin or ears of pets; if swallowed can cause choking." [CPPM]

Edible Uses

"Osmorhiza Spp. SWEET CICELY, SWEETROOT
Use: The roots have often been used in flavoring other foods because of their sweet licorice or anise flavor. This is certainly less pronounced in some species for we once collected o. obtusa in the latter part of June, boiled the roots for 15 minutes, peeled off the rind and ate the contents without being bothered by too strong a flavor. They were starchy, tasted much like parsnips and were very palatable to us. We also tried them in the middle of October and found the flavor more pronounced, but they were still edible, even in the raw state. The roots and fruits were dried and tried as seasoning, but lost most of their characteristic flavor in the process.
On the other hand, o. occidentalis had a much stronger odor and taste, probably too strong to allow eating the roots for food. Accordingly, these roots were dried, stored, and later scraped or pulverized into a powder, this to be used as a flavoring. This flavoring can be utilized in various ways." (ENPRM Harrington)

"Use: Raw or cooked. Some will have the licorice flavor, and some will not. Cooked in egg rolls. broth. stir-fries. casseroles. stuffing. nut loaf, and potato salad. Flavorful roots can be dried and ground into powder, and this can he used as a licorice flavoring." [WPC]

"Leaves and seeds are also edible, and are usually indicators of how strongly flavored the root will be." [WPC]

"The sweet cicely root apparently can be gathered for flavoring at any season of the year, including the winter time, providing of course the ground is not frozen." (ENPRM Harrington)

"The seeds (really fruits) of these plants, at least in some species, can be dried and used as seasoning. They are sometimes nibbled raw when they are still fleshy, and are often sweet and flavorful. We do not have too many good native plants for seasoning, and this provides a pleasant taste to most people." (ENPRM Harrington)

"Use the "roots" in early spring and fall. They're hard to clean, but a little of this strongly flavored treat goes a long way. They tend to be stringy and tough, so they're best finely grated and cooked twenty minutes. Try them mixed with other vege- tables or grains as well as in desserts. Add some to fruit sauces, or cook them in fruit juice and puree them in the blender, using the liquid in baking. I've made some of my best anise-flavored cookies and cakes this way." [Wildman]

"The leaves, flowers, flower stalks, and young green seedpods are great raw and in salads, and delicious lightly steamed or simmered in soups. They impart a licorice flavor, and are surprisingly tender. They're especially good with Japanese knotweed, moderating its extreme tartness. Freeze the cooked plant to store it, but don't dry aniseroot. When I tried, the whole apartment smelled like anise, as the volatile oils that impart all the flavor vanished into thin air." [Wildman]

Medicinal Use

"You can steep the leaves, flowers, roots, or immature roots to make a delicious stomach- strengthening tea, which is also gently carmina- tive-good for indigestion and flatulence. Various Indian tribes once applied fresh or dried powdered roots to sores, cuts, boils, and wounds. Perhaps it has antimicrobial properties. Some diabetics and hypoglycemics also use the root as a sugar substitute." [Wildman]

"Osmorhiza - Sweet Cicely ... I have used a tea of the root for flavoring cookies. Medicinally, the root has antiviral, expectorant and mildly laxative properties (Willard). It contains a volatile oil composed mostly of anethol (Densmore). It is listed as carminative, expectorant and a digestive stimulant (Lust). Sweet cicely may help to balance the blood sugar, while also inhibiting fungal infections of the digestive and reproduc- tive systems (Tilford)." [BIAD]

References

  1. (ENPRM Harrington) Harrington, Harold David. "Edible native plants of the Rocky Mountains.", The University of New Mexico Press, (1967).
  2. [Jepson] 2013. Osmorhiza, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=10206, accessed on Jan 28 2015

Osmorhiza berteroi - mountain sweet-cicely

"Osmorhiza chilensis is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil." [PFAF]

General: "Perennial herb from a well-developed taproot, sometimes below a slightly branched stem-base; stems solitary or sometimes 2-3, 0.3-1 m tall, branching." [IFBC-E-flora]
Leaves: "Basal and stem twice divided into 3's, leaflets coarsely toothed, 2-9 cm long, 1-5.5 cm wide, more or less hairy, thin; basal leaves several with long stalks; stem leaves 1-3 with short stalks." [IFBC-E-flora]
Flowers: "Inflorescence of loose compound umbels; flowers greenish-white, sometimes pink or purple, inconspicous; stalks short when flowering becoming longer at maturity; involucels lacking." [IFBC-E-flora]
Fruits: "Linear-oblong, needle-like, 12-22 mm long, black, bristly hairy basally, narrowing to a beak, often catching on clothing or fur." [IFBC-E-flora]

Similar Species: "Osmorhiza purpurea is very similar but leaves not hairy and grows in moister forests." [Wild PNW]

Habitat / Range

"Mesic open forests and forest margins in the lowland and montane zones; common throughout BC; N to AK, E to NF and S to SD, CO, AZ and CA, disjunct to S. America." [IFBC-E-flora]

Grows in open forests, shaded woodlands, at low to high elevations." [Wild PNW]

Origin Status: Native [E-flora]

Hazards

"OSMORHIZA CHILENSIS H. & A. (Sweet Cicely) wexatlalawkwa (Hu22) Hunt (1922) stated that this plant was "sure to kill" and was never eaten. The seeds and roots were used as an emetic. Our informants did not recognize it." [Turner&Bell2]

"The sharp-pointed, bristly fruits can cause choking if inadvertently swallowed with berries or other food. Indigenous People warn against them, and believe they can travel in the bloodstream. Do not confuse this plant with its poisonous relatives, poison-hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water-hemlock (Cicuta spp.) (see under water-parsnip,Sium)." [Turner&Kuhnlein]

Edible Uses

Taproot

Greens

Medicinal Uses

Root

Veterinary Aid

Misc

Folk Use/Lore

"Swinomish Love Medicine Roots chewed and used as powerful love charms. (as O. chilensis 79:41)" [NAEth Moerman]

"A total of 10 plants are associated with Gitksan names that suggest their similarity to other plants. For example, Osmorhiza chilensis (mountain sweet-cicely) is said to be named for its perceived similarity to Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane)" [EOTG]

Cultivation

"Succeeds in any deep moisture-retentive soil in sun or dappled shade[200]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c[200]. Well suited to naturalistic plantings in a woodland or wild garden[200]. A sweetly aromatic plant[200]." [PFAF]

Propagation

"Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible, otherwise sow it in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts." [PFAF]

Synonyms

References

Osmorhiza depauperata - blunt-fruited sweet-cicely

General: Perennial herb from a well-developed taproot, sometimes below a slightly branched stem-base; stems solitary or sometimes 2-3, 15-70 cm tall, branching." [IFBC-E-flora]
Leaves: Basal and stem leaves twice divided into 3's, leaflets coarsely toothed, 1.5-7 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, more or less hairy; thin basal leaves several, stalks long; stem leaves 1-3, stalks short." [IFBC-E-flora]
Flowers: Inflorescence of loose compound umbels; flowers greenish-white, sometimes pink or purple, inconspicuous; involucels lacking." [IFBC-E-flora]
Fruits: Club-shaped, 10-15 mm long, narrowing to a rounded or blunt end, the tip not beaklike." [IFBC-E-flora]

Habitat / Range

"Moist to mesic open forests and forest margins in the lowland and montane zones; frequent in BC E of the Coast-Cascade Mountains, rare in SW BC; N to AK and YT, E to NF and S to SD, NM and CA, disjunct to S. America." [IFBC-E-flora]

Origin Status: Native [E-flora]

Edible Uses

Root

"The roots of O. depauperata may also have been eaten by the Nlaka'pamux and Lillooet people." [Turner&Kuhnlein]

Beverage

"Food-Isleta Beverage Roots and stems boiled to make a beverage. (as Washingtonia obtusa 100:45)" [NAEth Moerman]

Synonyms

References

Osmorhiza occidentalis Torr.

"This aromatic plant is characterized by its finely divided, pinnate leaves and small yellow to greenish-white flowers arranged in umbels (Cronquist et al. 1997) (Fig. 1). The plant typically grows in moist, shaded areas such as forests, woodlands, and along stream banks. Pleasantly, one of the distinguishing features of O. occidentalis is its licorice-like aroma, which emanates from both its roots and foliage (Cronquist et al. 1997). This aroma is attributed to the presence of certain volatile compounds within the plant (Wilson et al. 2022)." (Wilson et al.,2024) "Plant has strong odor of licorice." [Wild PNW]

Habitat/Range

"It is native to the western regions of North America, particularly the Intermountain Region extending into the Pacific Northwest of the United States and northward into Canada." (Wilson et al.,2024)

"Grows in conifer forests, streamsides, seeps, moist places, at mid and high elevations." [Wild PNW]

Food Use

"The root of western sweet cicely (O. occidentalis) has a strong, sweet, licorice-like flavor. The Blackfoot chewed it as a confection, especially during the winter (Hellson and Gadd, 1974), and the Okanagan-Colville valued it as a scent and medicine (Turner et al., 1980)." [Turner&Kuhnlein]

Medicinal Use

"Throughout history, indigenous peoples have utilized various parts of O. occidentalis for medicinal, culinary, and cultural purposes. The roots were often brewed into teas to treat respiratory issues such as colds and pneumonia (Murphy 1959), while the seeds and stems were used for flavoring foods and dyeing garments (Moerman 1998), respectively. Specifically, the Paiute and Shoshone peoples referred to the plant as “Bossowey” and valued its medicinal properties in treating various ailments (Murphy 1959; Uphof 1968)." (Wilson et al.,2024)

"Osmorhiza occidentalis Torr. (Apiaceae). sweet cicely. In the western parts of North America, the smoke of burning roots was inhaled to treat colds (Usher 1974)." [UAPDS]

Acivities

"While O. occidentalis has a rich ethnobotanical history, modern scientific research on its medicinal properties is relatively limited. However, some studies have identified compounds such as falcarindiol (Kern and Cardellina 1982) in the plant, which is known for its antifungal properties. The objective of this ongoing study was to extend the scope of prior research conducted by the same research team (Wilson et al. 2022). This study compares the root essential oil profile and yield with previous findings of the herb essential oil profile and yield." (Wilson et al.,2024)

Phytochemicals

"The current study was conducted on the steam distilled essential oil from the roots of the same plant, O. occidentalis. The root essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC/FID, GC/MS) and was found to be comprised of 39 compounds. Prominent volatile compounds include sabinene (24.2%), o-cymene (2.3%), (Z)-β-ocimene (2.0%), γ-terpinene (19.6%), methyl chavicol (22.4%), 2-allyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene (2.4%), and 1-allyl-2,4-dimethoxybenzene (18.4%)." (Wilson et al.,2024)

"In the current study, it was found that the root essential oil of O. occidentalis had a much higher yield (> 11x) compared to the herb of the same plant. Also, while the volatile compound profile of the root essential oil does somewhat overlap with that of the herb, the root essential oil contains two prominent compounds, 2-allyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene and 1-allyl-2,4-dimethoxybenzene, that were not previously detected in the herb. Future research could investigate reasons for the differences in essential oil yield and volatile compound profiles from the root and herb of O. occidentalis." (Wilson et al.,2024)

References

Osmorhiza purpurea - purple sweet-cicely

General: Perennial herb from a well-developed taproot, sometimes below a slightly branched stem-base; stems single, 20-70 cm tall, branching." [IFBC-E-flora]
Leaves: Basal and stem leaves deltoid in general outline, twice divided into 3's, leaflets coarsely toothed, 1-8 cm long, 0.5-4 cm wide, usually glabrous, yellowish-green; stem leaves reduced." [IFBC-E-flora]
Flowers: Inflorescence of loose compound umbels; flowers pink to purplish (sometimes greenish-white), several to many in 2-6 spreading heads; involucels absent." [IFBC-E-flora]
Fruits: Spindle-shaped, 8-13 mm long, bristly hairy, with constriction below the beaked tip, which is broader than tall." [IFBC-E-flora]

Habitat / Range
Mesic to moist streambanks, meadows and open forests in the lowland, montane and subalpine zones; common throughout BC; N to AK, S to ID, MT and CA." [IFBC-E-flora]

Origin Status: Native [E-flora]

Synonyms

References

Uses of Other Osmorhiza Sp.

"Smooth Sweet Cicely, or Sweet Myrrh, Osmorhiza longistylis, Washingtonia longistylis. In Season spring and summer. This plant ranges from Nova Scotia to Assiniboia, south to Alabama and Kansas. The root has the spicy taste of anise and is often chewed by boys. The roots should be gathered with caution, for sometimes the deadly poison Hemlock or the Water Hemlock is mistaken for it. It does not grow in wet ground." [EWP]

"Smooth Sweet Cicely, or Sweet Myrrh, Osmorhiza longistylis, Washingtonia longistylis. This plant ranges from Nova Scotia to Assiniboia, south to Alabama and Kansas. The root has the spicy taste of anise and is often chewed by boys. The roots should be gathered with caution, for sometimes the deadly poison Hemlock or the Water Hemlock is mistaken for it. It does not grow in wet ground." [EWP]