Wild Edible of the Week - Week 1 - "Sweet Cicely"

Botanical name : Myrrhis Odorata

Common name : Sweet Cicely, Sweet Chervil, Roman Palnt

Physical appearance : A hairy, branched, perennial, growing to approximately 4-5 foot in height. Its leaves are fine, leathery and exude a mild aniseed scent when crushed. The flowers are large white umbels which look similar to elderflowers. The seeds of the Sweet Cicely look like miniature cucumbers and are very good eating as they are crunchy with a sweet and sour flavour and contain lots of vitamins.

Edible parts : Flowers, leaves, seeds

Best places to find : Grasslands, side of paths, river banks

Time of year : May to August

Serving suggestions : Cook succulent leaves and flowers in a Tempura style batter or toss into a green leaf salad. Eat the seeds as they are.

NB - Please be sure you know what you are picking. Many plants look similar to one another and many can be poisonous! Please seek professional instruction if you are unsure!

Photo courtesy of Hectonichus viahttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en