Osmorhiza purpurea
Purple sweet cicely
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Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Osmorhiza purpurea (Purple sweet cicely) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by purple flowers are uniquely diagnostic.
Purple sweet cicely is a California native perennial found in the northern Coast Ranges of Del Norte County in damp conifer forests at elevations of 150 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces distinctive purple flowers with hints of green-white, clustered in spreading rays up to 9.5 centimeters long. Growing 20 to 60 centimeters tall with a smooth to sparsely hairy stem, it forms an elegantly structured herb with complex leaf arrangements. Its large triangular-ovate leaves are intricately divided into 2 to 3 ternate sections, with leaflets 1.5 to 7 centimeters long that are lanceolate to ovate and coarsely serrate or irregularly lobed. The slender fruits are linear-fusiform, 8 to 15 millimeters long, with bristly ribs at the base and a short tail.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; purple flowers are uniquely diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Damp conifer forest
Elevation: 150-2200 m
California counties: Mendocino, San Mateo, Mariposa, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Del Norte, Modoc, Mono
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana
Bloom period
Osmorhiza purpurea blooms Jun-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 purpurea native to California?
Yes. Osmorhiza purpurea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Osmorhiza purpurea bloom?
Osmorhiza purpurea blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Osmorhiza purpurea grow?
Osmorhiza purpurea occurs in Mendocino, San Mateo, Mariposa, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Del Norte, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 150-2200 m.
What plant family does Osmorhiza purpurea belong to?
Osmorhiza purpurea is in the Apiaceae family, genus Osmorhiza.
What habitat does Osmorhiza purpurea grow in?
Osmorhiza purpurea grows in Damp conifer forest.
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.