Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
Flowers: June to September. Height: 150cm (60in).
Also called Garden Myrrh and Sweet Chervil. Sweet Cicely is famously used by Carthusian monks in the 18th century to make the liqueur Chartreuse.
Medicinal: It has has been used in medicine for centuries, with all parts of the herb used. It was used to purify the blood, improve appetite, and as a tonic herb to lift the spirits and banish gloomy thoughts. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal (1653) and herbalist John Gerard in his The Herball (1597) both agreed that the roots, when boiled and then dressed with oil and vinegar were “…very good for old people that are dull and without courage; it rejoiceth and comforteth the heart and increaseth their lust and strength.” The ripe seeds were chewed as an aid to digestion and a tea made from the chopped leaves was said to soothe the stomach.
Culinary: The flavour is sweet, like aniseed, and all parts of the plant were used (leaves, roots, flowers and seed). The roots were eaten raw in salads or boiled and eaten like parsnips. They also made a good wine. The leaves were cooked like spinach, added to soups and stews, omelettes and custards. The crisp stalks made a good substitute for celery after light cooking. Flower buds were edible and used as decoration.
