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Common Name:

General Information

Osmorhiza chilensis is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.75 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

N. America, S. America.

Habitat

Deciduous Nothofagus forests and moist shaded cliffs to 200 metres in S. Chile north to latitude 31°s[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.75 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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[].

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked. It is considered to be a delicacy[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible, otherwise sow it in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.