When does Osmorhiza berteroi bloom?

Osmorhiza berteroi typically flowers from May through July, producing small, inconspicuous white blooms along its branching stems.

What growing conditions does Osmorhiza berteroi prefer?

This forb does best in part sun to shadier spots with medium, consistent soil moisture, mimicking the filtered light and damp humus of forest floors and shaded slopes.

What pollinators visit Osmorhiza berteroi?

Bees, beetles, and flies are the main visitors to its small flower clusters, drawn in during the late spring and summer bloom period.

Is Osmorhiza berteroi evergreen or deciduous?

Osmorhiza berteroi is deciduous, dying back to the ground each year after seed set and returning from its rootstock the following growing season.

Is Chilean Sweet-Cicely HOA-friendly?

Chilean Sweet-Cicely takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Chilean Sweet-Cicely

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Osmorhiza berteroi

Last reviewed: August 2026

Osmorhiza berteroi is a woodland forb that blooms from May through July, favoring part sun to shaded sites with medium moisture such as forest understories and mountain slopes.

Toxicity unknown

Chilean Sweet-Cicely (Osmorhiza berteroi) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

12"–36" H × 6"–18" W

Bloom

May, Jun, Jul

Native to

AZ, CA, CO, ID and 13 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles, flies

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast Range Puget Lowland Marine West Coast Forest Northwestern Forested Mountains Sierra Nevada Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains Southern California Mountains North American Deserts Central Basin and Range Southern Rockies Arizona/New Mexico Mountains High Plains Madrean Archipelago

Sweet cicely is a delicate native wildflower with ferny, aromatic foliage and small white umbrella-shaped flower clusters. This plant thrives in partial shade with moderate water and provides a soft, woodland garden appearance through spring and summer.

Growing Chilean Sweet-Cicely

Grow Chilean Sweet-Cicely in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 6 to 18 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Chilean Sweet-Cicely takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Looks very wild and weedy to untrained eyes
Delicate appearance may seem unkempt
Dies back completely in winter leaving bare spots

Wildlife value

The small white flowers attract various pollinators including native bees, beetles, and flies during its May through July bloom period.

Common questions

When does Osmorhiza berteroi bloom?: Osmorhiza berteroi typically flowers from May through July, producing small, inconspicuous white blooms along its branching stems.
What growing conditions does Osmorhiza berteroi prefer?: This forb does best in part sun to shadier spots with medium, consistent soil moisture, mimicking the filtered light and damp humus of forest floors and shaded slopes.
What pollinators visit Osmorhiza berteroi?: Bees, beetles, and flies are the main visitors to its small flower clusters, drawn in during the late spring and summer bloom period.
Is Osmorhiza berteroi evergreen or deciduous?: Osmorhiza berteroi is deciduous, dying back to the ground each year after seed set and returning from its rootstock the following growing season.
Is Chilean Sweet-Cicely HOA-friendly?: Chilean Sweet-Cicely takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

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