Osmorhiza claytonii aka Hairy Sweet Cicely

Osmorhiza claytonii is a perennial in the Apiaceae family. Its names include American sweet cicely and woolly sweet cicely. Sweet jarvil is another name listed by the RHS. Kew places its native range in the central and eastern United States. Plants For A Future also lists a wider North American range. That account includes parts of Canada, from the prairies eastward. It grows in woods and on wooded slopes. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The plant grows to about 3.3 feet [1 metre] tall. It forms a clump with limited spread. The root system includes many fine roots and fleshy, swollen parts. The plant has a sweet scent. Its roots and unripe seeds provide an anise-like flavour. The supplied accounts give no detail on leaf shape or flower colour. They do state that each flower has male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers, and the plant is self-fertile.

Grow it in deep soil that holds moisture well. It accepts sandy, loamy, and clay soils. It also tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. Sun and dappled shade both suit it. Its woodland habitat makes it a choice for a wild garden. It can also grow along a sunny woodland edge. Cultivated beds offer another setting where its needs can be met. Its clumping form suits planting among other woodland plants. Keep its preference for moist soil in mind when choosing a site.

Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 5–9. It also reports cold tolerance to about −4°F [−20°C]. Its UK zone 6 entry uses a different scale from RHS H ratings. The source records no weed potential. Its limited spread may help keep a woodland planting contained. The supplied evidence names no specific pests or diseases. That lack of detail does not establish that the plant has none.

Plants For A Future gives it an edible rating of three out of five. Cooks can use the roots and leaf stalks as vegetables. The roots and unripe seeds also serve as flavourings. The same source reports no known hazards, rather than proven safety for every use. It records past uses of roots for sore throats and skin complaints. Other recorded uses include root washes for sore eyes. These are reports of traditional use, not evidence that such treatments work.