Black Cumin: One of Life's Tiny Treasures

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

2) N. damascena, Turkish black cumin, garden black cumin or Damask fennel, is an ornamental that grows to a height of 21/2 feet with an upright stem and dark-green, finely slit leaves with long, thin tips reminiscent of dill leaves. The blossoms are surrounded by five similarly slit leaves. The plant's black, triangular, horizontally wrinkled seeds resemble N. sativa but taste milder and smell more pleasant. Some liken the flavor to nutmeg. These seeds make a better seasoning for sweet baked goods, fruit salad or an ingredient in snuff.

3) N. arvensis, field black cumin (also known as wild black cumin, oat or horse black cumin), grows just 8 inches tall. Its upright, hairless stem boasts bush-like branches with alternating lacinated leaves and apical blossoms bearing a light-blue five-leaved flower cup rimmed with greenish strips. Unlike the other two species, the three to five leaves of the seed capsule reach only halfway up the stem and are neither coarse nor puffed into a ball, but are long with little horns. Similar in taste to N. sativa, the seeds of this species are used as a peppery spice, as a medicine and as a fumigant to ward off creeping vermin, poisonous insects and snakes.

Where Black Seed Blooms

Native to western Asia, southeastern Europe and the Middle East, N. sativa is cultivated around the world and grows well in most gardens but doesn't sustain frost well.

All of the nigellas grow well in Zones 3 through 10. To add this annual to your garden, sprinkle seeds thinly in late spring over a prepared bed of light garden loam in a sunny spot. Pat the seeds in gently and keep moist but not wet.

Although they're more successful sown in the ground, you may want to start black seed indoors and transplant when threat of frost has passed. To do so, sow seeds in a container of moistened soilless mix, such as perlite or vermiculite, in early spring. Barely cover the seeds with the mix. Cover the container with plastic wrap and store at 65 to 70 degrees. When you begin to see growth, move the container to a sunny window, pot plants up as they grow, gradually getting them accustomed to being outside, and then transplant them in the garden.

You may see flowers as early as June or July, and the plants should flower until late summer. The blossoms are long-lasting, so use them in cut flower arrangements. When the pale blue flowers have passed, deadhead to encourage blooming all summer or leave them on to see the striped fruit, or seed heads. These also supply an interesting garden accent and can be used in dried flower arrangements.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print