John, my sweet cicely is blooming now. I doubt you will get bloom your first year if you are setting them out in June. I would wait until next year to divide them. You'll want to give them time to establish their roots. If Sweet Cicely loves the spot they are in (partly shady, well-drained soil) it will get quite large and lovely. Enjoy!

Isn't that a biennial, like Angelica Archangelica? If so, if it goes to seed it will then die, unless the seeds are removed.

In medium shade (which it does not like) I had one once that got about a foot tall. For some reason I have been unable to find it in our local garden centers since, even though it has a wonderful fragrance, better growth habit, and more uses than the gigantic Angelica.

Sweet cicely is a perennial.

Angelica flowering...

I've heard about removing the flower heads (as soon as they show) on angelica to get it to stay in the garden longer, no dice. At least it didn't work for me. So I just let it flower - I love their flower heads anyways and are just resigned to planting new angelica. It's one of those plants I just love the looks of so I plant some each year.

Sweet Cicely...

I love the looks of the plant. It has a fern-like look with white flowers. How can you go wrong with that? If you find a location that the sweet cicely likes, it will come back each year for you.

FataMorgana

I have sweet cicely around azaelas-- just where it seemed to take. It's blooming now. I have no trouble with winter kill or reseeding-- never needed to divide it because it just doesn't get all that big. Lilies bloom around it after it goes to seed & begins to go back to ground-- it doesn't last all summer here, but I can count on it coming back every year.

Thanks for all of the responses and feedback.

It looks like all 32 seedlings I transplanted are strong and healthy, so I should have a nice bed of the stuff once I transplant it outdoors.

I'm curious to hear how people are using Sweet Cicely as a culinary herb. I was originally inspired to grow it after discovering a particular recipe online, which I've linked below.

John

P.S. Yes, I'm growing the Lemon Thyme and Alpine Strawberries too :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Lemon Thyme Butter Cake with Alpine Strawberries & Sweet Cicely Creme Anglaise