Sweet Cicely - Myrrhis odorata
8 seeds
Sow September/October. Sweet Cicely is dormant so must be germinated in wet cold conditions, keep in the fridge for 8 weeks in wet soil.
Hardy perennial.
Height 60-90cm (2-3ft), spread 60cm (2ft).
Sweet Cicely is dormant so must be germinated in wet cold conditions. Sow the end of September/October. Keep moist and maintain a temperature of 18-20o C for 2-4 weeks. After this the temperature must be lowered, preferably to between -4 and +4o C for 4-6 weeks. After this the temperature can be raised again to 15o C and germination should then occur. However the whole process does take some weeks, and sowing made in cold frames may not germinate until the following spring.
Thick brown taproot, occasinally branching with white, aromatic flesh. Hollow, furrowed stem with a downy surface. The leaves are fern-like, very divided and smell of aniseed when crushed. The small white flowers appear from spring to early summer. The seeds are long and green when unripe turning dark brown on ripening. Can be invasive in poor soils.
Sweet Cicely
Also known as Anise, Myrrh, Roman Plant, Sweet Bracken, Sweet Fern and Switch.
From the family Apiaceae.
This herb is a native of Europe and other temperate countries. It is derived from the Greek 'seselis' or 'seseli'. It is among the first to appear in spring and the last to depart in autumn. The leaves have a myrrh-like scent with a hint of aniseed. In the 16th century John Gerard recommended the boiled roots as a pick-me-up for people who were 'dull'. The roots were thought to prevent infection by the plague. In South Wales it is quite often seen growing in graveyards, planted around the headstones to commemorate a loved one. In the Lake District it was not only used in puddings but also for rubbing upon oak panels to make the wood shine and smell good.