Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Smooth Sweet Cicely
(Aniseroot)
Osmorhiza longistylis [C-value 3]
Carrot family (Apiaceae)
Blooms May -
mid-June
The native Smooth Sweet Cicely is common in our area. It prefers dappled sunlight to moderate shade and slightly moist rich loamy soil with decaying organic matter. Habitats include slightly moist deciduous woodlands and gentle slopes of wooded ravines with a variety of deciduous trees. This perennial is about 1-2½' tall and branching occasionally. Its alternate leaves are ternately compound and up to 9" long and 9" across. Each leaf is divided into 3 compound leaflets that are further divided into 3 subleaflets, 1-4" long and ½-1½" across, and coarsely toothed. The leaves release a mild anise fragrance when rubbed. The upper stems terminate in compound umbels, 1½-3" across, of white flowers about 3/16" across with 5 white petals.
Smooth Sweet Cicely at Farnsworth House May 13, 2017
Smooth Sweet Cicely at Hoover Forest Preserve May 14, 2015
Smooth Sweet Cicely foliage at Lyon Forest Preserve May 9, 2015
This species is identical to Aniseroot except it has only 4-7 flowers per umbellet while Aniseroot has 7-16 flowers per umbellet. And it is almost identical to Hairy Sweet Cicely except the later has white hairs on its stems and leaves.
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