Flower profile
Aniseroot
Osmorhiza longistylis
Aniseroot is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Virginia it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Virginia
Quick look
Osmorhiza longistylis, commonly called long-styled sweet-cicely or longstyle sweetroot, is an herbaceous plant in the family Apiaceae. It is native to North America, where it is found from the Rocky Mountains east to the Atlantic Coast, in Canada and the United States. Its natural habitat is in forests with fertile soil, often in areas of loam and dappled sunlight.
- It belongs to the Apiaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 39 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Virginia. NatureServe
- In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,675 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #99 among the 110 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
Aniseroot gift ideas
Handmade aniseroot gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Aniseroot art print
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Aniseroot greeting card
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Aniseroot mug
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Aniseroot earrings
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Aniseroot embroidery pattern
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Aniseroot sticker
When does it bloom?
In Virginia, most flowering sightings come in April–May.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Virginia
- Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: RI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records aniseroot in 39 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.
Virginia counties with USDA records: Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Carroll, Charles City, Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Greene, Halifax, Henrico, Henry, Highland, James City, King George, Lee, Loudoun, Lunenburg, Madison, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Nelson, Orange, Page, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Shenandoah, Smyth, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, York.
More Virginia flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile OSLO.
- iNaturalist, Osmorhiza longistylis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Osmorhiza longistylis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Osmorhiza longistylis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Kathy Richardson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.