Sweet Cicely (American) for late periods
The plant which I am calling American Sweet Cicely (to distinguish it from the European Sweet Cicely which was covered in my last post) is also known as Anise Root, Sweet Anise and Sweet Chervil. Its latin name is Osmorhiza longistylis and it is a native of the Eastern United States. It is not related to star anise, anise hyssop, European sweet cicely or chervil.
American Sweet Cicely is a large perennial, reaching a height of around 45 inches (1.2m). It will grow happily in most soils, so long as they are moist, in full sun or semi-shade. It is useful in the kitchen; roots, leaves and young shoots and green seeds can be used raw in salad, the roots can be cooked and the dried seeds used as a seasoning. Finally, the leaves can be used to make tea.
The part used for medicine is the root. It is not one of the most active herbs medicinally speaking, but despite this, it should be avoided in early pregnancy, as one of its uses is to treat amenorrhea (late periods). However, when it is time to deliver the child, it is one of the herbs recommended to ease childbirth.
Make a decoction by putting half an ounce (15g) of dried root into a pint of cold water in a pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, then strain and use or bottle for later use. The dose is 75ml (one third US cup) up to 3 times a day. Use this to treat the maladies previously mentioned, and also as a general tonic and treatment for disorders of the kidneys and stomach.
As with all herbs and plants grown for medicinal use, and in particular those where the root is the active portion, American sweet cicely should be grown organically so as to ensure that the efficacy of the active constituents is not masked or changed entirely by the presence of foreign chemicals. To find out more about growing organic herbs visit the Gardenzone.
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