Osmorhiza longistylis (Aniseroot)
| Also known as: | Long-style Sweetroot, Smoother Sweet Cicely |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Osmorhiza |
| Family: | Apiaceae (Carrot) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; moist woods |
| Bloom season: | May - June |
| Plant height: | 2 to 3 feet |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FAC MW: FACU NCNE: FACU |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
Flowers are in flat clusters (umbels), in 4 to 6+ groups (umbellets) of up to 16 flowers each, at the top of the plant and arising from the upper leaf axils. Some umbellets may have just staminate (male) flowers where most others will have a bundle of staminate flowers in the center and perfect flowers (both male and female parts) in the outer ring. Individual flowers are about 1/8 inch (~3 mm) across, with 5 notched white petals and 5 white-tipped stamens. Perfect flowers have 2 styles longer than the petals and a hairy, cone or club-shaped structure between the flower and stalk that develops into fruit. At the base of each umbellet are 4 to 6 egg to lance-shaped, hairy bracts up to ~1/3 inch (to 8 mm) long, usually with 1 or 2 longer bracts at the base of the umbel.
Leaves and stem:
Leaves are basal and alternate, 2 or 3 times compound in groups of 3. Basal and lower stem leaves are long stalked, becoming shorter stalked as they ascend the stem. The terminal leaflet is largest, 1½ to 4 inches (4 to 10 cm) long and up to 2 inches wide, shallowly to deeply lobed with coarsely toothed edges, becoming smaller and less lobed as they ascend the stem. Surfaces are smooth to sparsely hairy, especially along the veins on the underside; stalks are similarly hairy or smooth.
Stems are single or few from the base, branched or not, smooth or variously covered in short hairs, sometimes smooth towards the base and hairy in the upper plant. Crushed leaves, stems and roots have a distinct anise scent.
Fruit:
Fruit is 3/8 to ¾+ inch (10 to 22 mm) long, club-shaped to oblong but tapering at the base to a sharply pointed tip, ribbed with appressed hairs along the ribs and around the base. The remains of the long style persists at the tip. It matures to brownish black and splits into 2 seeds when ripe.
Notes:
Aniseroot is a common woodland species found across the state, and is one of 4 Osmorhiza species currently known to be in Minnesota. It most closely resembles the equally common Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii), with which it may grow, and when flowers or fruits are not present the two can be hard to distinguish. Aniseroot stems are short-hairy to hairless and broken stems and leaves have a notably anise fragrance, where Sweet Cicely stems are long-hairy and is more foul-smelling or only weakly anise scented. Aniseroot flowers are also more numerous (up to 16) per umbelette, most umbellets with a bundle of staminate flowers in the center, and styles are longer than the petals, where Sweet Cicely has only 4 to 7 flowers in an umbellet, flowers are usually all perfect, only occasionally with staminate flowers, and styles are shorter than the petals. Aniseroot bracts at the base of umbellets are broader and typically longer than those of Sweet Cicely, and its leaves typically less divided.
There are also 2 rare Osmorhiza species in Minnesota, both of which lack bracts at umbellet bases and are currently only found in Cook County.
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More photos
Aniseroot plant
Aniseroot plant
Aniseroot with Virginia Waterleaf
comparison of fruiting Osmorhiza claytonii and O. longistylis
Aniseroot plant
Aniseroot plant
Aniseroot with Virginia Waterleaf
comparison of fruiting Osmorhiza claytonii and O. longistylisPhotos by K. Chayka taken in Becker, Ramsey and Winona counties
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2009-07-07 18:35:17
This is growing wild in my backyard in Apple Valley. I dug it up to move it to another section of the yard and found it has a wonderful licorice smell to the roots (hence the name?) It is really a very petite, pretty flower and much enjoyed in our yard.
on: 2017-05-26 19:17:54
We discovered the Aniseroot just this week.It is is our garden near Snakeroot plants. We hadn't noticed the Aniseroot other years. The flowers are very dainty. And it seeems to tolerate being nrar a grove of Black Walnut trees.
on: 2018-06-26 09:36:05
This plant is found in Roseville parks along with Osmorhiza claytonii. I've wondered if it can hybridize with claytonia and if that is why the stems are variable in appearance. It looks a bit like invasive Japanese hedge parsley when it is first coming up in the spring.
on: 2018-06-29 19:58:43
Erica, most plants have natural variations, such as the amount of hair on a stem or size of leaves. It is not an indication of hybridization.<.p>
on: 2020-06-12 03:38:32
All along the trail edging the Cannon River are tons of Aniseroot fighting for their place among the jungle of native and invasive plants. They are definitely holding their own, so far.
on: 2020-06-13 06:55:09
I found it growing in the front of my house. It smelled so nice I couldnt pull it out. It took me awhile to figure out what it was with the help of a plant identification app. How soon and how could I use the seeds to put it elsewhere in the yard?
on: 2021-03-04 16:43:01
I found a very few specimens alongside an old ski trail in the Sugar Hills Ski Area while snowshoeing. Because it is winter, I had to make the ID on the seeds and growth form of the plant alone so had a very difficult time of it!
on: 2023-05-26 16:45:36
Very prolific this Spring, after huge rain event. 5-25-2023
on: 2023-09-03 21:41:32
Do the seeds Germinate in Fall? Or is it better planted in Spring? Also do Osmorhiza claytonii & Osmorhiza longistylis hybridize? I'm asking because my plants are a little intermediate between the 2? Could It just be a different species of Osmorhiza? You did say Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) has a distinct anise fragrance. But does anise root (Osmorhiza longistylis) have a similar scent too?
on: 2023-09-04 10:00:44
John, we don't know about this species specifically, but as a general rule seeding is best done in fall or over winter, since many native species require cold-moist stratification before they will germinate. We don't know about hybrids.
on: 2023-09-06 13:44:02
Ah so in a nutshell, Sweet Cicley (Osmorhiza spp.) works just like Apples? If I take Sweet Cicely Seeds, put them in Fridge with Plastic bag & moist paper, I can expect them to eventually germinate just like Apples right? Thank you for the vaulable information! It makes that Sweet Cicley Requires cold stratification, because it's seeds ripen in Fall, just in time for Cold Weather. I'm sure the same Cold Stratification applies to both species right? So logically the hybrid would also require Cold Stratification?
on: 2023-09-07 08:15:43
John, we don't have any experience propagating Osmorhiza so can't say definitively what the requirements are.
on: 2023-09-11 01:10:39
well, Do they at least spread by root? I've transplanted roots of sweet cicely successfully but I was wondering if it would spread just by root. Could the ones I saw in the wild be all clones? Or are they the result of Genuine seed germination?
on: 2023-09-11 12:53:22
John, Osmorhiza spreads by seed.
on: 2024-05-22 20:53:09
I found a plant growing next to a cottonwood tree on my property in Minnetonaka a few years ago and I had trouble identifying it. Lately it has spread to another area and I used google lens to ID it and it suggested Sweet Cicely or Anise root. These have smooth stems so I am calling it Anise root.