Carum carvi
Family: Apiaceae
Viennial. Native to the mediterranean, Russia, Iran and the Himalayas.
Cultivated world-wide. These plants are handsome and fun to grow.
Carway seed is an excellent spice for flavoring pickles, breads and meat.
The seeds, and the essential oil derived from the seeds, are both very
effective carminative and flavoring agents. The main medicinal use
is to assuage indigestion and infant colic. Cultivation:
Extra care. Sow in the late fall for germination in the spring.
To sow in the spring or summer, germination is enhanced by scarifying the
seeds between sheets of sandpaper or by rubbing on sandstone. Soak
overnight, then sow directly in the garden. Thin or transplant to
18 inches apart. Makes a rounded rosette in the first year, followed
by white, flowering umbels in the second year. May be summer or early
fall sown to produce seeds the next summer. Prefers regular garden
soil, full sun and moderate water. Grows to 2 feet tall.
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