Nigella damascena

NIGELLA damascena
Love-in-a-Mist

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Type:
Annual

Height: 18" (45cm)

Flowering Time: Summer

Flower Colour: White, pink, mauve, blue

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Botanical Classification:

Class:
Angiospermae (Angiosperms)

Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons)

Superorder: Magnoliidae (Magnolia Superorder)

Order: Ranunculales (Buttercup Order)

Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Genus: Nigella (Nigella)

Species: damascena (from Damascus)

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Nigella damascena is an elegant annual, reaching about 18" high, with single or branching stems with a single flower at the end, in summer. The leaves are feathery and very divided, and the flower is surrounded by a ruff of similar leaves, giving rise to the common name. The spiky flowers are usually blue, but may be white or pink. The colour deepens as they age.
The seedpods of Nigella damascena become very enlarged, into an angular ball shape, and some varieties are grown for their decorative seed pods.
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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

Germination:
Summer
Outside (33 days)
Winter
Outside (45 days)

Seed Pod The seed pod is an inflated angular ball with feathery spikes on.
Seed The seeds are matt black oval balls. There are many seeds in each seedpod.
Seedling The seedleaves are spoon-shaped. The first true leaves are deeply lobed.

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				Germination: Summer Outside (33 days) Winter Outside (45 days)
Seed Pod The seed pod is an inflated angular ball with feathery spikes on. Seed The seeds are matt black oval balls. There are many seeds in each seedpod. Seedling The seedleaves are spoon-shaped. The first true leaves are deeply lobed.