Nigella damascena, commonly called nigella, love-in-a-mist or Persian jewels, is an annual herb native to southern Europe and North Africa. A member of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family, love-in-a-mist is an easy-to-grow plant with ferny, fennel-like foliage that forms a mist around its interesting fluffy blossoms that develop into unique seedpods.
Nigella damascena in bloom is show-stopping. Lacy, threadlike leaves tangle around airy solitary blooms in shades of blue, pink, rose and white. The unusual flowers give way to striking egg-shaped seed capsules that are excellent dried.
Valued in the garden as a beautiful, lacy ornamental, love-in-a-mist grows about 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide. Nigella does well in sun or partial shade. This pest-free plant is not particular about soil, but it doesn’t like to remain wet.
In late winter or early spring, sow seeds and rake them in or press down slightly. Nigella does not like being transplanted. Once established, this plant can self-sow freely but not aggressively. Cutting blooms will give you long-lasting blooms for flower arrangements and will keep plants flowering longer, but fewer seedpods will be produced.
Cultivars have been developed for showier blossoms and shorter or taller plants to accommodate different landscaping conditions. They include the following.
• Miss Jekyll — white, blue and rose flowers
• Persian Jewels — pink, mauve, rose, lavender, white and blue flowers
• Blue Midget — dwarf variety
• Cambridge Blue — long-stemmed variety, double blue flowers
• Oxford Blue — large, extra-double deep blue
Love-in-a-mist can be wonderful in the garden. The long-lasting cut flowers and the dried seedpods both are great additions to floral arrangements.
If you’re new to planting seeds, love-in-a-mist is available at many nurseries and is easy to try. Happy planting.
For information, call 909-798-9384.
Source: Joyce Dean, a member of the Garden and Floral Arrangers Guild
