SWEET CICELY IS BLOOMING

ALONG HWY. 13...

SWEET CICELY JUST STARTED BLOOMING...

DEEPLY LOBED, OPPOSITE LEAVES ALONG THE FLOWER STALK ...

...AWESOME AMONG THE  LUPINES

Monday, 8:00 AM.  50 degrees F at the ferry dock, 48 on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm, the skies overcast, with 97% humidity after considerable rain yesterday afternoon and during the night.  The next ten days are predicted to have highs in the 60's, mixed skies and chances of rain and thunderstorms.  Summer is an elusive entity hereabouts.

   My favorite wildflower, sweet Cicely, Osmorhiza chilensis, in the Parsley Family, the Umbelliferae, suddenly appeared in bloom a couple of days ago, along Hwy. 13 just north of Washburn.  it will soon be evident everywhere near the lake.   There are a number of species of Osmorhiza with the same common name and general properties, but I am pretty sure of this scientific name because Fasset's Spring Flora of Wisconsin says it is very specific to Bayfield County near Lake Superior.  In any case this species, as are others in the genus, is very sweetly anise scented.  The plant parts have a licorice flavor, and decoctions of it were used in Native American medicine for many ailments, much like one would use mint.
   Note: extreme caution should be used with all members of the parsley family, as they can be confusing, and some are deadly poisonous.
   O. chilensis is found on the Bayfield peninsula, the far western US, and coastal regions of South America (thus its scientific species name).  How it got to Bayfield is, as far as I know, a botanical mystery.

   My recorded first bloom dates for sweet Cicely are: 6/23/16; 6/24/15; 7/02/14; 7/03/13/ 6/25/12; 6/30/11; 6/21/10, always as the lupine display is just beginning to fade.  The blooms are beautiful and very fragrant in a vase, but don't last long.  The dried flower stems are deep red-pink, and very effective in arrangements, when picked in August.

DRIED FLOWER STEMS