Osmorhiza chilensis

Hook. & Arn.

ApiaceaeLeavesRoots

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(c) Joseph D Kurtz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Root, Leaves

The root can be eaten raw or cooked and is considered a delicacy.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zone 6.

Argentina, Chile, North America, South America*, USA,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Suriname, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Uruguay, St Vincent, Venezuela

How to Identify

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 80 cm tall. The leaves have leaflets along the sides and these are divided and have teeth along the edge.

How to Grow

Succeeds in any deep moisture-retentive soil in sun or dappled shade. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. Well suited to naturalistic plantings in a woodland or wild garden. A sweetly aromatic plant.

Propagation: Sow seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe where possible, otherwise sow in early spring. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in the greenhouse through their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Perennial reaching 0.8m tall, hardy to UK zone 6. Hermaphroditic, insect-pollinated flowers with self-fertility. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

Other Information

It is considered a delicacy.

Names & Synonyms

Niuquin, Nonquin, Numin, Nuukin, Perejil de cerro

References (4)

Cordero, S. E., Abello, L. A., & Galvez, F. L., 2017, Plantas silvestres comestibles y medicinales de Chile y otras partes del mundo. CORMA p 206
Diaz-Betancourt, M., et al, 1999, Weeds as a future source for human consumption. Rev. Biol. Trop. 47(3):329-338
Rapoport, E. H. & Ladio, A. H., 1999, Plantas comestibles. Bosque Volume 20 No. 2. ISSN 0314-8799
Rapoport, E. H., et al, 1995, Edible Weeds: A Scarcely Used Resource. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. Vol. 76 No. 3 pp 163-166