Osmorhiza claytonii (Sweet Cicely)

Plant Info

Also known as:	Clayton's Sweetroot
Genus:	Osmorhiza
Family:	Apiaceae (Carrot)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	part sun to shade; woods, thickets
Bloom season:	spring
Plant height:	1 to 3 feet
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Flowers are in flat clusters (umbels), in groups (umbellets) of 4 to 7 flowers each. Individual flowers are about 1/8 inch across, with 5 notched white petals, 5 white-tipped stamens, and 2 styles that are shorter than the petals (the arrows in the thumbnail photo point them out). At the base of each umbellet is a hairy bract. One plant usually has a few clusters.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are compound in 3's with both basal leaves and alternately attached stem leaves of similar shape, becoming smaller as they ascend the stem. Leaflets are up to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide with the leaflet at the tip largest. Leaflets are lobed or divided with toothed edges and are hairy, especially along the veins on the underside. Basal leaves have long stems while leaves near the top of the plant have little or no stem. All stems, except the umbellet stalks, are densely covered in fine white hairs.

Fruit:

Fruit is a dry brown seed ½ to 1 inch long that splits in 2 when ripe. It persists through the winter.

Notes:

Sweet Cicely and Aniseroot are very similar and easily confused. Aniseroot has more flowers per umbellet (8 to 16), styles longer than the petals, and has sparsely hairy or hairless stems. The hairiness of the stems is the most obvious difference.

More photos

• Sweet Cicely plant, about 18 inches tall
• more flowers

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN February and June 2009

Comments

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