Nigella damascena
L.
Love-In-A-Mist, Devil in the bush
(c) Serey Lek, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Serey Lek
(c) Gordon Joly, some rights reserved (CC BY)
(c) Markus Krieger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Markus Krieger
What to Eat
Edible parts: Oil, Seed
Oil. Seed - raw or cooked. Normally used as a condiment, it has a nutmeg flavour.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
Europe - Mediterranean. A rare casual in Britain.
TEMPERATE ASIA: Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia (west)), Azerbaijan EUROPE: Ukraine (Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
How to Identify
Nigella damascena is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a fast rate. It is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
How to Grow
An easily grown plant, succeeding in any good garden soil, preferring a sunny position. A very ornamental plant, there are some named varieties. Plants are fast-growing and often self-sow if the ground is disturbed by some means such as hoeing. The flowers are very attractive to bees. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes.
Propagation: Seed - sow spring or early autumn in situ. The autumn sowing might not be successful in harsh winters. Plants can be transplanted if necessary.
Medicinal Uses
Expectorant. Expectorant.
Other Uses
Essential OilAn essential oil distilled from the plant is used in perfumery and lipsticks. The seed contains about 43.5% fatty oil, consisting of 97% total fatty acids of which 30% is free fatty acid. No uses of this oil are given in the report.
