SWEET CICELY (Myrrhis odorata)

Sweet cicely is a handsome, slow growing perennial herb. It's very fragrant with an anise-like flavor and grows to be 2-5 feet high, depending upon the site in which it is growing. It has large lacy leaves that are covered with a fine down. Sweet cicely blooms in June with tiny white flowers in two-inch clusters, which are compressed in umbrells with five to ten others. The dark brown or black shiny seeds that form later are about one inch long and have a licorice flavor

Sweet cicely is one of those herbs that doesn't seem to have a personality of its own. It is often described as resembling other plants-for example, chervil, hemlock and anise. In fact, it is sometimes called giant chervil, and the leaf does look somewhat like a much-magnified chervil leaf. The fragrance is like anise and it looks similar to hemlock (the water hemlock that grows in wet locations-not the tree). Please note that water hemlock does NOT smell like anise and, in fact, is poisonous-just ask Socrates!

Whenever you research an herb it seems references are made to Gerard. I wondered, as you may have, who this man was anyway. Well, he was a respected plantsman of 16th century England. Gerard created his first botanic garden at Cambridge in 1588 and published the first Herball in 1597, which was required reading for students of botany for over 200 years. Before Gerard, plants were studied solely for the ways they related to medicine and other such practical purposes. Gerard appealed to a different and wider audience and drew attention to a plant's food and decorative value.

Sweet cicely has been used in cooking and medicine since early Roman times. Today it is listed as an aromatic, stomachic, carminative, and expectorant. In the 16th century, Gerard called the leaves "exceeding good, wholesome, and pleasant among other sallad herbs, giving the taste of Annise-seed unto the rest." He also pointed out the seeds were excellent salad ingredients, "dressed as the cunning Cooke knoweth how." He recommended serving the leaves boiled and dressed with oil and vinegar. He considered this dish "very good for old people that are dull and without courage." Culpepper, a 17th century plantsman, said, "It is so harmless you cannot use it amiss."

Today, the herb may be called the "sugar-saver" herb. It can be used generously on tart fruit to cut down the acidity and the need for sugar. It is said the flavor is between that of celery and anise. You can chop the leaves and use with fruits such as rhubarb, gooseberries or currants. Use in green salads, on potatoes, in omelets, fresh fruit salads and fruit drinks. For indigestion, you could chew on the ripe seeds or make a tea of chopped leaves and drink it hot. Leaves can be pressed into fish before grilling.

Sweet cicely is difficult to grow from seed, as the seeds require a process of freezing and thawing before they will germinate. It's best to buy a plant or get one from a friend. It grows best in semi-shaded, rich soil with adequate moisture. Sweet cicely makes a fine addition to your herb garden or to your flowerbed.

Thanks to Margaret Hoffman who reported on sweet cicely at our March meeting and provided this report.

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Last updated by rauchfus@uiuc.edu