Description
Black cumin (Nigella sativa) is an ancient medicinal and culinary herb, cherished for over 2,000 years across the Middle East, Mediterranean, and South Asia. Known as “black seed” or “black caraway,” it’s not to be confused with ornamental Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist). The plants produce delicate, ferny foliage and pale starry flowers, followed by inflated seed capsules that dry to release the famous jet-black seeds. These seeds have a warm, slightly bitter, peppery taste with hints of onion and oregano, making them popular in breads, curries, pickles, and spice blends. Revered as a household remedy, black cumin has a long tradition in herbal medicine — from supporting digestion and easing congestion to being considered a general “tonic” seed for vitality. Easy to grow in sunny, well-drained soils, black cumin brings both beauty and usefulness to the garden, offering you flowers for pollinators and seeds for kitchen and apothecary alike.
