Osmorhiza claytonii - Woolly Sweet-Cicely

Family:	Umbelliferae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to South Dakota, North Carolina, Illinois, Nebraska and Kansas.

Osmorhiza claytonii (Woolly Sweet-Cicely) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects

Soil Information

Woolly Sweet-Cicely will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Woolly Sweet-Cicely prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Woolly Sweet-Cicely can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Woods and wooded slopes[43].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Works within dappled Shade
• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any deep moisture-retentive soil in sun or dappled shade[200]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c[200]. Well suited to naturalistic plantings in a woodland or wild garden[200]. A sweetly aromatic plant[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Root - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[46, 105, 183]. Used for putting on weight[61, 161]. Leaf stalks - cooked and used as a vegetable[183]. The aromatic roots and unripe seeds are used as anise-like flavourings[183]. Pleasant to chew[207].

• Condiment - the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
• Leaves -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The root has been chewed or gargled as a treatment for sore throats[222, 257]. A poultice of the moistened pulverized roots has been applied to boils, cuts, sores etc whilst a tea made from the roots has been used to bathe sore eyes[222, 257].

• Ophthalmic - Treats eye complaints.
• Poultice - A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible, otherwise sow it in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Scented parts of the plants

Leaves : Crushed

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Gray's Manual of Botany.
Fernald. M. L.
Author: Fernald. M. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
Date of Publication : 1950

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Author: Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
Date of Publication : 1970

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