# aniseroot (*Osmorhiza longistylis*) Aniseroot is a special plant that grows in shady places. It has pretty leaves and a sweet smell that attracts insects. Kids love to explore and find this unique plant in the wild! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests ![aniseroot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Osmorhiza_longistylis_-_Aniseroot.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Osmorhiza_longistylis_-_Aniseroot.jpg) ## Appearance The aniseroot is a leafy plant with an upright stem and large, fern-like leaves divided into three groups of three leaflets. It produces small, white, five-petaled flowers arranged in flat-topped clusters called umbels. Its mature seeds are dark, narrow, and covered in tiny, stiff bristles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Apiales - **Family:** Apiaceae - **Genus:** Osmorhiza ## Interesting facts - It's a cousin to carrots, celery, and parsley! - Its root tastes like sweet licorice when chewed! - Native Americans once used its root to soothe upset tummies! - Some people call it 'Sweet Cicely' because of its sugary flavor! ## Special abilities - **Sweet Scent Signal:** Aniseroot's roots smell like licorice, which helps it attract animals that might spread its seeds. - **Forest Forager:** This plant has deep roots that allow it to absorb nutrients and moisture in shady woodland soils. - **Hitchhiker Seeds:** Aniseroot's seeds have tiny hooks that let them cling to fur, spreading far and wide! ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 20-45 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Common drone fly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-drone-fly) (*Syrphus ribesii*) — drinks nectar from tiny flowers - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — visits the small white flowers - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on leaves and stems ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify aniseroot? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is aniseroot? 30-90 cm ### How wide does aniseroot spread? 20-45 cm ### How big are the flowers on aniseroot? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does aniseroot bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is aniseroot edible? Yes ### Is aniseroot toxic? None ### What is aniseroot's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Pennyrile State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pennyrile-state-forest) — Kentucky, US · Forest - [Virginville](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/virginville) — Pennsylvania, US · Neighborhood - [Downtown Cumberland Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-cumberland-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District [View all places to see aniseroot](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/aniseroot) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Aniseroot: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/aniseroot)