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Nigella hispanica
Also called Fennel Flower, Pale Fennelflower
Spanish fennel flower is an annual or short-lived biennial with finely cut foliage and blue flowers in summer, grown mainly as an ornamental. It does best in full sun and well-drained soil.
Nigella hispanica, the Spanish fennel flower, is a partially recognized species of flowering plant in the genus Nigella in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Portugal, Spain, and France. An annual or biennial with bushy foliage that can reach 60 cm (2.0 ft) tall, the species blooms in the summer with blue flowers. Sometimes considered part of the species Nigella gallica, studies have determined that N. hispanica extracts can function as an anti-inflammatory and that essential oils from the species are chemically distinct from oils extracted from other members of the genus.
Nigella hispanica is grown as an ornamental plant. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) assesses favorable conditions for the species as hardiness zone H3 indicating preference for "coastal and relatively mild parts" of the United Kingdom where minimum temperatures are between −5 °C (23 °F) to 1 °C (34 °F). The RHS indicates that the species succeeds in well-drained chalky, sandy, or loamy soil in full sun, regardless of whether it is sheltered or exposed. The RHS also considers the species beneficial for pollinators and recognizes the seed capsules for their ornamental value. The species does not typically face problems from pests or diseases.
Nigella hispanica has a native range that spans southwestern Europe, including France, Portugal, and Spain. An introduced population is also found in Great Britain. The species favors the subtropics.
Wild fennel-flower · Love in a mist · Black cumin · Devil-in-a-bush
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Nigella hispanica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
