Myrrhis Odorata

Description

Also called Sweet Cicely, Garden Myrrh, and Spanish Chervil, this uncommon and beautiful British native, has ornamental, much-divided, delicate, fern-like foliage and crowded umbels of small white flowers followed by extremely large, shiny-black, decorative seed-heads which are fluted and slightly curved. The whole plant has a pleasant odour of aniseed. Budding chefs can use it for flavouring stewed fruit such as plums, when it is said that it is possible to halve the amount of sugar required. Its crisp stalks make an excellent substitute for celery after light cooking and the leaves have been eaten either boiled like spinach, in soups, or fresh in salads, whilst the seeds are used as an aniseed flavouring.

Sowing Advice

Sow immediately at any time onto preferably a soil-based compost, covering with fine grit to approximately their own depth. Germination MAY be quicker if kept at 15 to 20 degrees C. but many seeds WILL NOT come up the year they are sown, needing winter chilling after sowing, and ONLY come up with natural spring germination.

Key Facts