Annual Flower – Persian Jewels Nigella (Nigella damascena) – Non-GMO – Organically Grown – Flower

Annual Flower – Persian Jewels Nigella (Nigella damascena) – Non-GMO – Organically Grown – Flower

Annual

Persian Jewels Nigella, also known as Love-in-a-Mist, is a charming cool-season annual flower that grows, blooms and produces its beautiful ornamental seed pods within one growing season.

Full Sun to Partial Sun

For the strongest flowering, grow in full sun. Nigella can also tolerate some light partial shade.

Full Description

Persian Jewels Nigella (Nigella damascena) is an enchanting heirloom-style flower with delicate blooms floating above clouds of finely divided, feathery foliage.

This beautiful mix produces jewel-toned flowers in shades of blue, soft pink and crisp white, creating an airy, romantic display in the garden.

The unusual flowers are surrounded by a delicate green mist of foliage, giving Nigella its beloved common name, Love-in-a-Mist.

Plants generally reach approximately 18–24 inches tall, making them wonderful for cottage gardens, borders, pollinator gardens, wildflower plantings and cut-flower gardens.

After flowering, Nigella produces extraordinary balloon-shaped ornamental seed pods. These decorative pods are almost as beautiful as the flowers themselves and are excellent for fresh or dried arrangements.

Nigella readily self-sows when happy, allowing new seedlings to appear naturally in subsequent seasons.

The flowers are also attractive to bees and other beneficial pollinating insects.

Growing Persian Jewels Nigella from Seed

Nigella is wonderfully easy to grow directly from seed.

Direct sowing is recommended, as Nigella develops a delicate root system and generally prefers not to be transplanted.

Spring Sowing

Direct sow outdoors in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked.

Nigella prefers cooler growing conditions and can tolerate cool spring weather.

Prepare a loose, weed-free seedbed.

Sow seeds approximately ⅛–¼ inch deep and cover lightly with soil.

Keep the soil consistently moist during germination, but never waterlogged.

Seeds generally germinate in approximately 7–14 days under favourable conditions.

Once seedlings are established, thin to approximately 6–9 inches apart.

For an extended flowering season, make additional sowings approximately every 2–3 weeks through spring.

Fall Sowing

Nigella can also be direct sown outdoors in fall.

Seeds will naturally overwinter and germinate when conditions become favourable.

Fall sowing can result in particularly strong plants and earlier flowers the following season.

Soil

Persian Jewels performs best in:

• Average to fertile garden soil
• Loose soil
• Well-drained soil
• Moderately moist soil

Avoid consistently soggy or waterlogged conditions.

Nigella is adaptable and does not require excessively rich soil to produce a beautiful display.

Watering

Keep young seedlings evenly moist while becoming established.

Established plants appreciate regular moisture but generally do not require heavy watering.

Allow the soil surface to begin drying between waterings and avoid saturated soil.

Flowering

Persian Jewels typically flowers from late spring into summer, depending on sowing time and local growing conditions.

Deadheading can prolong flowering.

Alternatively, leave some spent flowers on the plants to develop their spectacular ornamental seed pods and naturally self-sow.

Stratification:

No – Cold stratification is not required.

Persian Jewels Nigella can be sown directly into the garden without any special cold treatment.

Seeds may be fall-sown and naturally overwinter outdoors, but this is not required for germination.

Medicinal Properties

Important botanical distinction: Persian Jewels is Nigella damascena, the ornamental Love-in-a-Mist species.

It should not be confused with Nigella sativa, commonly called black cumin or black seed, which has a much more extensive history of culinary and traditional medicinal use.

Nigella damascena has appeared in historical ethnobotanical literature, and researchers have studied compounds occurring within the plant. However, Persian Jewels should primarily be regarded as an ornamental flower rather than a medicinal or culinary herb.

Bumbleseeds does not recommend consuming the seeds or other parts of Persian Jewels Nigella for medicinal purposes.

Quick Growing Guide

Botanical Name: Nigella damascena
Cultivar: Persian Jewels
Common Name: Love-in-a-Mist
Type: Flower
Life Cycle: Annual
Flower Colours: Blue, Pink & White
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Sun
Height: Approximately 18–24 inches
Sowing: Direct sow recommended
Seed Depth: ⅛–¼ inch
Plant Spacing: Approximately 6–9 inches
Germination: Approximately 7–14 days
Stratification: No
Spring Sowing: Yes
Fall Sowing: Yes
Soil: Well-drained
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Cut Flower: Yes
Dried Seed Pods: Yes
Self-Sowing: Yes

Seed Count: 25