Chilean Sweet-cicely
Osmorhiza berteroi
Care
full sun, part shade
2–4ft tall
Friendly
Yes
Roots eaten raw or cooked; sweet licorice-like flavor
Moist woodlands and riparian areas from the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills, extending throughout northern California to Oregon and Washington.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your Chilean Sweet-cicely in a location with full sun to part shade. Space plants to accommodate their mature height of 2–4 feet and branching habit. Plant in spring or fall when temperatures are mild to give the plant time to establish before summer heat or winter dormancy.
After Planting
Water regularly during your plant's first growing season to help it establish, then gradually reduce watering frequency as it matures. Expect this perennial herb to produce aromatic foliage and delicate white flower clusters in its second year or beyond. The plant will likely go dormant in winter, so don't be alarmed if it disappears - mark its location so you don't accidentally dig it up during your spring garden work.
Visit Calscape for more information about Chilean Sweet-cicely
Wildlife Supported
Insects
Larvae develop in seeds; mutualistic seed-predator relationship
Spring foraging on early-blooming umbelifer flowers
Spring and early summer feeding on foliage
Larval host plant; polyphagous species uses Osmorhiza as supplemental host
Larval development on foliage during summer months
Summer pollen feeding on umbelifer flowers