# sweet cicely (*Osmorhiza*) Sweet cicely is a lovely plant with feathery leaves and white flowers. It grows in shady places and has a sweet smell that attracts butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![sweet cicely](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Osmoriza_claytonii.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Osmoriza_claytonii.jpg) ## Appearance The sweet cicely has delicate, fern-like leaves, deeply cut and a vibrant bright green. It produces clusters of tiny, star-like white flowers at the top of tall, hollow stems, making it distinctively elegant in damp, shady spots. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Apiales - **Family:** Apiaceae - **Genus:** Osmorhiza ## Interesting facts - Its seeds, resembling tiny green cigars, taste surprisingly like licorice! - Roman soldiers are believed to have carried sweet cicely seeds across Europe! - Rubbing its leaves releases a unique, delightful anise-like perfume! - This plant was once used to sweeten tart fruits before sugar was common! ## Special abilities - **Anise Aroma:** Sweet cicely releases a strong, sweet anise fragrance that helps it attract pollinators and deter some grazing animals. - **Self-Seeding Power:** Sweet cicely produces abundant seeds that self-sow easily, helping it quickly colonize suitable shady and moist environments. - **Natural Sweetener:** Sweet cicely has a natural sugar content in its leaves and roots, allowing it to sweeten foods without added sugar. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-120 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 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:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visiting its small white flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — feeding on nectar from the flower umbels - **Eats:** Green peach aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — sucking sap from 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. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [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 check with an adult before touching or tasting any plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify sweet cicely? 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 sweet cicely? 60-120 cm ### How wide does sweet cicely spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on sweet cicely? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does sweet cicely bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is sweet cicely edible? Yes ### Is sweet cicely toxic? None ### What is sweet cicely's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fairhaven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairhaven) — Washington, US · Neighborhood - [Litchfield Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/litchfield-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Browne Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/browne-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see sweet cicely](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sweet-cicely) ## 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: [Sweet Cicely: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sweet-cicely)