Osmorhiza berteroi
Sweetcicely
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Osmorhiza berteroi (Sweetcicely) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by white flowers and glabrous to bristly fruits are key.
Sweetcicely is a California native perennial found in the California Floristic Province and North Coast Ranges in conifer forest, woodland, and disturbed areas at elevations up to 2,800 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate white flowers in spreading clusters. Growing with stems 30 to 120 centimeters tall, it has an almost hairless to finely hairy appearance. Its large compound leaves are widely ovate, divided into 2-ternate leaflets that are 2 to 8 centimeters long, with serrated or irregularly cut edges. The fruit is a distinctive linear-fusiform structure 12 to 25 millimeters long with a short tail and bristly ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; white flowers and glabrous to bristly fruits are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest, woodland, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 2800 m
California counties: Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Fresno, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Tuolumne, Tulare, Santa Clara, Kern, Butte, Plumas, Los Angeles, Alameda, Inyo, Riverside, San Mateo, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma, Nevada, Sierra, Lassen, Placer, Tehama, Mariposa, Contra Costa, Alpine, El Dorado, Mono, Marin, Napa, Del Norte, Lake, Colusa, Modoc, Calaveras, Madera, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Amador
Outside California: to Alaska, Alberta, Colorado, also central and eastern North America, southern South America
Bloom period
Osmorhiza berteroi blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Torilis: Osmorhiza fruits are smooth and elongated; Torilis fruits are tiny and covered in hooked bristles.; vs Koelreuteria: Osmorhiza has white umbel flowers; Koelreuteria has showy yellow panicles and is a tree.; vs Anthriscus: Osmorhiza fruits are club-shaped and 8-22mm long; Anthriscus fruits are beaked and under 7mm.; vs Geranium: Osmorhiza has tiny umbel flowers; Geranium has large 5-petaled flowers.; vs Toxicodendron: Osmorhiza has compound umbels; Toxicodendron has drooping panicles and is woody.
Frequently asked questions
Is Osmorhiza berteroi native to California?
Yes. Osmorhiza berteroi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Osmorhiza berteroi bloom?
Osmorhiza berteroi blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Osmorhiza berteroi grow?
Osmorhiza berteroi occurs in Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Fresno, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou and other counties, at elevations of < 2800 m.
What plant family does Osmorhiza berteroi belong to?
Osmorhiza berteroi is in the Apiaceae family, genus Osmorhiza.
What habitat does Osmorhiza berteroi grow in?
Osmorhiza berteroi grows in Conifer forest, woodland, disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.