Great Design Plant: Osmorhiza Longistylis Provides Texture and Form
Plant longstyle sweetroot in midwestern and eastern U.S. woodland gardens for its fern-like foliage and crisp white flowers
Heather Holm
June 3, 2015
The subtle white flowers of longstyle sweetroot (Osmorhiza longistylis) brighten dark corners in the spring shade garden. Use this easy-to-grow, reliable native plant in any shady garden, whether under trees, intermixed with other spring-flowering wildflowers or naturalized in a woodland understory. This beautiful perennial has fern-like foliage, an anise-scented root and a tolerance for a wide range of soils and conditions.
Botanical name: Osmorhiza longistylis
Common names: Longstyle sweetroot, long-styled sweet cicely, aniseroot
Origin: Occurs in west-central to eastern North American woodlands, from Montana southward to New Mexico in the west, and eastward to Maine in the north and Georgia in the south; absent in Louisiana and Florida; in Canada occurs from Alberta eastward to Nova Scotia
Where it will grow: Hardy to -45 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2b to 8a; find your zone)
Typical plant communities: Moist to dry deciduous woodlands
Soil requirement: Mesic to medium-dry (mesic-dry), sandy-loam to clay-loam soil
Light requirement: Shade to partial shade
Mature size: 12 to 36 inches tall and 12 to 15 inches wide
Benefits and tolerances: Very shade tolerant and thrives in most soil types
Seasonal interest: Flat-topped, bright white flowers that open in late April to May; fern-like foliage; anise-smelling root
When to plant: Spring or fall; bare-root and potted plants are available from many native-plant nurseries
Common names: Longstyle sweetroot, long-styled sweet cicely, aniseroot
Origin: Occurs in west-central to eastern North American woodlands, from Montana southward to New Mexico in the west, and eastward to Maine in the north and Georgia in the south; absent in Louisiana and Florida; in Canada occurs from Alberta eastward to Nova Scotia
Where it will grow: Hardy to -45 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2b to 8a; find your zone)
Typical plant communities: Moist to dry deciduous woodlands
Soil requirement: Mesic to medium-dry (mesic-dry), sandy-loam to clay-loam soil
Light requirement: Shade to partial shade
Mature size: 12 to 36 inches tall and 12 to 15 inches wide
Benefits and tolerances: Very shade tolerant and thrives in most soil types
Seasonal interest: Flat-topped, bright white flowers that open in late April to May; fern-like foliage; anise-smelling root
When to plant: Spring or fall; bare-root and potted plants are available from many native-plant nurseries
Shown: A mature plant growing in a shady site in a woodland garden.
Distinguishing traits. Longstyle sweetroot has finely cut, fern-like foliage, dark purple flower stalks and bright white flowers that glow in shady sites; this plant has a reliable upright, sturdy form.
Shown: Close-up of the flower form
Shown: Close-up of the flower form
How to use it. Use it in any shady setting, in the middle section of a perennial border, under trees or naturalized in a woodland. Combine longstyle sweetroot with other native shade-tolerant perennials, including wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans), Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) and baneberry (Actaea spp).
Planting notes. Longstyle sweetroot has a fleshy taproot, which can make transplanting mature plants difficult. The plants will reseed, so it’s best to look for small seedlings to move rather than transplant a mature plant.
Rabbits will occasionally browse the foliage. In my experience, deer do not browse this plant, possibly because of the anise-scented stalks and root.
How to Design a Beautiful Shade Garden
Planting notes. Longstyle sweetroot has a fleshy taproot, which can make transplanting mature plants difficult. The plants will reseed, so it’s best to look for small seedlings to move rather than transplant a mature plant.
Rabbits will occasionally browse the foliage. In my experience, deer do not browse this plant, possibly because of the anise-scented stalks and root.
How to Design a Beautiful Shade Garden
The seeds (shown here) are covered in small hairs and are dispersed by animals. These bur-like seeds are a minor nuisance and can be easily plucked off clothing.
Pollinator notes. It attracts a number of pollinating insects, including bees, flies and moths. The flat-topped flower provides a landing platform for these small insects, and the nectar and pollen are easily accessed from the shallow flowers.
Shown: A female mining bee (Andrena sp)
More:
Learn more about gardening with native plants in your area
See more ways to garden with white flowers
Shown: A female mining bee (Andrena sp)
More:
Learn more about gardening with native plants in your area
See more ways to garden with white flowers
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Thank you! Glad to hear that the resemblance might not be a random occurrence..
Oh, good. I am glad to know what this is. It grows naturally in the woodland next to our property and I got nervous that it might be water hemlock, which I believe is the deadliest plant in North America. But yes, I recognize the leaves. Our dogs are fond of chowing down on random plants and I'd just as soon not have them dying in agony. The flowers are lovely -- I picked some for a wildflower bouquet and then started to worry.
Looks nice!