Alternate name: Hairy Sweet Cicely

Family: Apiaceae, Carrot view all from this family

Description Native perennial. Habit: single stem covered with soft white hairs, 1-3 ft height. Leaf: toothed or lobed, bipinnate or tripinnate, to 3" long. Flower: small white flowers, not very numerous, in a loose white umbel, 3" dia. Fruit: dry, long and narrow, holding two seeds. The leaves are yellowish green. There are white hairs on the stem and to a lesser extent on the leaves as well. The thickened fibrous roots have an anise-like odor when broken.

Flower April - August.

Habitat Mesic forest understory, especially hillsides.

Range In the United States, sweet cicely is distributed from the New England states west to the Great Plains, extending south into central Arkansas and northern Alabama. In Canada, sweet cicely is found from southern Saskatchewan east to Quebec and south to Newfoundland.

Discussion This plant is an indicator of a mature or climax forest. Also known as: Clayton's sweetroot, sweet jarvil.