How Cicely is propagated
How Cicely is propagated
The Cicely (Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop., 1771) is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Apiaceae family.
This plant is native to south-eastern Europe and is present in the Alps, the Apennines, the Pyrenees and in Great Britain where it grows spontaneously in meadows and pastures from 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level.
Its optimal habitat is that of woods and grassy meadows, on preferentially calcareous soils.
From this plant a spice is obtained that maintains a beautiful yellow-green color and has a much more intense aroma than that of Cicely seeds and with notes reminiscent of licorice.
The plant can be harvested spontaneously but can also be reproduced in horticultural crops.
For the propagation technique, remember that, as mentioned, even if it grows spontaneously and is very resistant, it can be easily collected in summer by walking in the countryside.
Propagation –
However, if you want to have a good harvest it can also be grown and not needing a lot of water you can get an excellent, completely natural final product.
You can start from purchased seed, or you can dry the flowers at the end of the season, tying the flowers in bundles that are left to dry and stored in a dry place to be able to re-sow them in the autumn period.
The propagation of the plant takes place by seed which must be sown directly in the ground in November. In this case it is necessary to sow in autumn, or even in spring in fresh soil, after which the seedlings must be thinned out if they are too dense.
You can also proceed with planting in small pots and transplanting in the open field when the seedlings become manageable, taking care not to disturb the roots in the transplant rump. With this system, you can cultivate in rows with a 120 cm spacing between the rows and 30 cm in the inter-row so that you can work and weed the plants.
Harvesting takes place in the summer in full bloom and before the seeds begin to form (unless you need these for re-sowing).
The deep yellow umbrella-shaped inflorescences are picked by hand early in the morning between June and August.
For the details of the cultivation technique, refer to the following sheet.