Damascus nigella is a plant of the Ranunculaceae family. The people called the flower nigella for its decorative appearance and coal-colored seeds. This is a distant relative of the buttercup flower. The birthplace of this plant is considered to be Southern Europe and North Africa. There are about twenty species of nigella, the most famous are Damask and Spanish. In some countries, a plant is grown only for the purpose of obtaining valuable raw materials - seeds.
Main characteristics
Black cumin or Nigella flowers (photo can be seen below) - these are excellent honey plants with a highly branched stalk of a lilac hue and small delicate leaves of bright green color, similar to dill.
There are blue, white, red and blue flowers, which are formed from five identical sepals. Terry is also found, their inflorescence consists of several layers of sepals. The plant reaches a height of 60–90 cm, and also grows in breadth, due to which it is possible to create beautiful forms of shrubs by pruning. The plant blooms for about two months. Nigella fruits resemble a swollen or flattened box containing a huge amount of black seeds with a pleasant aroma and spicy taste.
Varieties
Several types of nigella are known, which have their own characteristics:
- Sowing . This variety is used to obtain seeds with a spicy aroma, for the purpose of their use in cooking, perfumery and medicine. The flowers of this species are not large, the petals are white, yellow or pink. Leaflets are very thin and resemble a lace fabric. The stalk is long, without lateral shoots.
- Nigella spanish flower. This species is found in nature in North Africa and southern Spain. The plant freely withstands cold, but prefers light and heat. The flowers are medium-sized, with a diameter of not more than 6 cm. Fully opened petals are bent down. Their color scheme is diverse, there are white, pink and raspberry colors. On a high stalk there are dark green tinted dissected leaves.
- East. Distributed in Asia. The flowers are ugly, there are practically no petals on them, and a small amount of the flowers are strongly bent down. Many long stamens are directed upwards. On a straight stem with lateral branched shoots, long, truncated leaves.
Damask nigella is commonly grown in gardens and flower beds. Its most popular varieties are as follows:
- Baby blue is a nondescript plant with small faded flowers. The stems are low, curved, reaching a height of not more than 20 cm.
- Nigella Flowers Dwarf Moody Blue is a dwarf variety of Damask Nigella. The leaves are small, truncated and, as it were, form a cloud, so another name is blue fog. Stem height about 25 cm. Small blue or blue flowers.
- Persian Jewels - a mixture of Damascus nigella. Large flowers of white, red and pink color. Long stamens of a green shade are located in the very middle of a flower. The leaves are very thin, there are many of them and form a lacy air cloud on a low stem.
- Miss Jekyll Rose. The flowers are very large and endowed with all shades of purple and red. A box with seeds of red color. Straight stalk no more than 50 cm.
- Cambridge Blue is a beautiful plant with large bluish-blue flowers. On a high stem, about a meter high, are thin green-colored lace leaves. This type is most often used in landscape design.
- Albina This variety will be described in more detail later in the article.
Damascus Nigella Flower (Albina): Description
This variety is an annual herb with a thin, smooth stalk that does not have additional shoots, no more than 50 cm long. Very thin leaves of a saturated green hue resemble a needle of a coniferous tree. Large flowers are mainly double, but they are also simple with multi-colored sepals: pink, white, blue, blue, which are pronounced. Large stamens. After flowering form a box with black long seeds. Flowering time - July-August.
Nigella flower: planting and care
Nigella is easy to grow. There are a number of rules, adhering to which, it is possible to easily obtain luxurious shrubs. For planting, plants choose a sunny area. The place where the shadow prevails most of the day is not suitable for the plant, the flowering will decrease. Alkaline soil is best suited, in rare cases with a neutral composition. You should choose fertile land with drainage ability, and which will perfectly pass air.
You can plant Damascus nigella flowers in the ground with seeds or seedlings. Seedlings are grown in peat cups or special tablets, otherwise it will be difficult to adapt the nigella after planting in a permanent place. Seeds are sown in mid-spring or before winter, and seedlings are recommended to be replanted in early May. Before planting a nigella in open ground, lime or dolomite flour is added to it. After planting, bloom begins in 25 days.
Watering
Nigella flowers (Albina variety and other varieties) have become quite popular because of the simplicity and speed of plant care. The main rule to be followed is balance in everything.
For example, excess moisture and nutrients adversely affect the well-being of the plant. Abundant watering can cause the development of diseases. Water the plant should be regular, moderate, to prevent drought. At the same time, due to the lack of fertilizers and moisture, the plant blooms poorly and loses its attractiveness, and eventually can dry out.
Top dressing
Nigella flower (Albina, photo of which can be seen in the article, and other varieties) needs regular weeding and loosening of the soil, which is done very carefully, since these plants practically do not tolerate damage to the root system.
In addition, the nigella does not tolerate mulching. Top dressing is recommended to be applied only once, at the beginning of flowering. Complex mineral fertilizers are suitable. Fresh organic and nitrogen fertilizing the flower does not tolerate well.
Breeding
To obtain seeds for the purpose of breeding, nigella do not wait for the complete maturation of the bolls. Cut stems begin when about 1/3 of the flowers remain on the plant.
The cut parts of the plant are dried in a well-ventilated and dry room. Dried seeds have good germination up to two years. The methods of cultivation are as follows:
- Seeds are planted in open ground in spring and late autumn. Seeds easily tolerate winter conditions. In early spring, emerged seedlings should be covered with plastic wrap in order to protect against spring frosts. In April, the planting of seeds begins. In good sunny weather, seedlings appear rather quickly.
- To obtain seedlings, seed material is planted in the first days of spring (late March or early April). Seeds are sown to a shallow depth, not more than 3 cm, and lightly sprinkled with earth. Shoots appear after three weeks. Plants do not tolerate picking, so it is advisable to transplant them into ready-made soil cups, so that later they can be transplanted with them to a permanent place in the garden. The distance between plants should be at least 25 cm, and between rows about 40 cm.
The plant prefers soil with a pH alkaline reaction. Nigella flowers at the roots can not be disturbed, as this will adversely affect growth and flowering.
Diseases and Pests
Due to the presence of a spicy aroma, all kinds of pests practically do not visit the plant. Very rarely, a flower is attacked by a single spider mite. Insecticidal preparations, which should be sprayed with the plant, can easily cope with them.
The most common disease is powdery mildew, which affects a flower in rainy times. For treatment and prevention, a solution of a fungicidal agent is used.
Use in landscape design
Very active chernushka is planted in flower beds along with poppies, cornflowers, and verbena, since it does not create difficulties during planting and care. Nigella flowers (photo below) can be used to create a Moorish lawn in order to fill the free space between perennials in flower beds.
In single plantings, flowers of different colors will look great, for example, from soft blue to bright blue. And also looks good with a nigella with daisies. In addition, this plant is used to design plots in country style. Nigella should not be planted near ground cover plants.
Areas of use
Nigella flowers are not only decoration of borders, flower beds, but also single plantings. Chernushka has a variety of uses:
- For the formation of bouquets. Flowers retain freshness for a long time.
- To create dry compositions and winter bouquets.
- Plant seeds repel insects, so they are used to protect clothing from moths.
- Young leaves of nigella are added to light snacks, for example, in salads.
- Seeds are dried and widely used in cooking. In another way they are also called zira. Due to the spicy taste, they are used in the preservation of vegetables, added to baking, used in the preparation of first and second courses. To improve the taste, the zira should be slightly crushed and fried in oil, and then added to any dish. Store seeds in a dry, dark place in a tightly closed container.
The use of nigella in medicine
The healing properties of the oil made from the seeds of the plant are used to treat skin diseases, as an adjuvant is prescribed for the treatment of cancer and diabetes. Oil is a natural biostimulant, and the absence of side effects increases its value. A decoction of seeds has been widely used for female pain during menstruation, as well as in the treatment of gynecological pathologies. In addition, the seeds contribute to the production of milk, so nursing mothers are recommended to take the broth. As a symptomatic remedy, the decoction is useful for kidney stones, bronchial asthma and poor sleep. Tincture of seeds copes with bronchial spasms and improves respiratory activity. Nigella in the form of an elixir is used as a choleretic and gastric agent.
In Muslim countries, this plant is considered a panacea for all ailments and is called a universal medicine. Muslims use this flower to treat any disease.
Damask Nigella flower, the photo that can be seen in the article, is an unpretentious plant, characterized by good flowering. Its seeds can be used in cooking, as well as for the treatment of many diseases. Observing the simple rules of care and maintenance of nigella, you will achieve that it will please you for many years.