Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata) is a tall, downy perennial herb of the carrot family, grown for its soft, fern-like leaves and ribbed seeds that carry a warm, sweet anise-and-licorice aroma. Its great culinary trick is sweetness: cooked with tart fruit such as rhubarb, gooseberries or sour plums it rounds off the sharpness, so less added sugar is needed. The whole plant — feathery leaves, hollow stems and green or black seeds — is edible and fragrant, and it is sometimes called garden myrrh, sweet chervil or sweet fern.