Native to Asia, this interesting plant is grown for its pungent seeds which are widely used in cooking.
The black seeds are a popular spice with a combination of tastes – imagine a mix between onion, black pepper and oregano. Grown for flowers, the branched stems bear fine, deeply divided leaves and elaborate blooms in shades of blue to white.
Sow outdoors:Â where they are to flower, 0.5cm(1/4in) deep, directly into finely prepared soil which has already been watered. Seedlings usually appear in 14-21 days. Thin seedlings to 15cm(6in) apart. Water well until plants are established. Sowings made in curves rather than straight lines often create a more pleasing effect. Late summer and autumn sowings will flower the following year.
