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Myrrhis odorata

Common name: Sweet Cicely Family: Umbelliferae
Author: (L.)Scop. Botanical references: 17, 200
Synonyms:  
Known Hazards: None known
Range: Mountainous regions of Europe, including Britain.
Habitat: Grassy places, hedges and woods in hilly regions, often near human habitations[4, 9, 17].
Edibility Rating (1-5): 4Medicinal Rating (1-5):3

Other Common Names:From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
Anise [B,P], British Myrrh [H], Cerfeuil Musque [E], Cow Chervil [H], Finocchiella [E], Great Chervil [H], Great Sweet Chervil [H], Holy Grass [E], Myrrh [E], Perifolio [E], Roomse Kervel [D,E], Shepherd's Needle [H], Smooth Cicely [H], Smoother Cicely [H], Spanische Sussdolde [E], Spansk Korvel [E], Sweet Bracken [H], Sweet Chervil [H], Sweet Cicely [E,H], Sweet-Cus [H], Sweet-Humlock [H], Sweet-fern [H], Sweets [H], The Roman Plant [H],
Epithets:From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
odorata = scented; odora = fragrant;
Systematics:From a USDA Plants Database
Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family
Other Range Info: From the Ethnobotany Database
Britain; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; Netherlands; Spain; Sweden; Us(Blackfoot)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies and beetles. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedgerow, Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Leaves; Root; Seed; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 5, 37, 52]. Excellent raw, the leaves have a delicious sweet aniseed flavour[9] and are liked by the majority of people who try them[K]. They are also used as a flavouring for vegetables[183], and are an important ingredient of the herb mix 'bouquet garni'[244]. They can be cooked with tart fruits in order to reduce their acidity[14. 183]. The plant produces fresh leaves from late winter to early the following winter[200]. The leaves can also be dried for later use[21]. It is best to prevent the plant from flowering if the leaves are required for culinary use, because they lose their flavour when the plant is in flower[244].
Root - raw or cooked[1, 2, 5, 14, 37]. A similar flavour to the leaves[K]. So long as it is not too old, the root can be boiled and mixed with other vegetables or added to salads[9].
Seed - raw or cooked[1, 2, 183]. An aniseed flavour, it is usually used as a flavouring[14, 115] but can also be eaten raw whilst it is still green and before the fibrous coat has formed[1, 9]. It makes an excellent mouth freshener[K].
A tea is made from the leaves[183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antiseptic; Aromatic; Carminative; Expectorant; Stomachic.

The whole plant, including the seed, is aromatic, carminative, expectorant and stomachic[4]. It is useful in the treatment of coughs and flatulence, and also as a gentle stimulant for the stomach[4, 238].
The root is antiseptic and a decoction has been used to treat snake and dog bites[4, 244]. An ointment made from the roots has been used to ease gout and soothe wounds[244].

Other Uses

Polish.

The leaves and the seed make good polishes for wood[4, 6, 115]. You just rub them over the wood and then rub the wood with a clean cloth to remove any greenness. It is particularly good on oak panels[5], giving a lovely glossy finish and an aromatic smell[244].

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist rich soil in a shady position[14, 52, 200]. Thrives in all soils[1] in sun or shade[111, 200].
This species is hardy to about -15°c according to one report[200] whilst another says that it is hardy to at least -20°c[187].
Plants often self-sow freely[200].
Sweet cicely used to be quite widely cultivated as a food plant but is now only occasionally grown in the herb garden. This is a shame since it is an extremely useful and tasty plant to grow and can provide food all year round[K].
A good bee plant[4].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe since stored seed is difficult to germinate[1]. The seed can be sown in an outdoor seedbed or, if supplies are limited, it can be sown in pots in a cold frame. Thin the seedlings in the outdoor bed as necessary (eat the thinnings) and transplant the young plants into their final positions in the following spring. Prick out the pot-grown seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in spring.
Division in spring or autumn. Remove the tapering tap root and cut the remaining root into sections with at least one eye per section and replant in their permanent position.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

References for myrrhis odorata (a possible synonym).

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[5] Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974 ISBN 0-00-219060-5
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.

[6] Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979 ISBN 0-00-635555-2
Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[14] Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
A good herbal.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[37] Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.

[52] Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980
A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.

[111] Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926
A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.

[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[244] Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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