February 13, 2025, 1:43 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Originally from warmer regions, black cumin can also be grown here with little effort. How to nurture, care for, and harvest the delicate plant with the beautiful blue flowers.
The black cumin (Nigella sativa), also known as Roman coriander, belongs to the buttercup family. Despite its name, the plant is not related to caraway or cumin. Black cumin has been used as a spice, medicinal plant, and in cosmetics for more than 3000 years. The plant originally came from Southern Europe, North Africa, and West Asia but has now spread worldwide. It is mainly cultivated commercially in India and the Middle East. However, the plant’s characteristic delicate flowers can also be cultivated here.
Overview
Appearance and Growth
Black cumin is an annual, slender-growing, herbaceous plant with sparsely branching, loosely hairy stems. The plant usually grows between 25 and 50 centimeters tall and develops green-grey, fine, multi-pinnate leaves. The flowers appear between June and August and are usually blue, rarely white or pink. These give rise to the balloon-like fruit capsules, which are crowned by five beak-shaped tips. The matt black seeds ripen inside these capsules.
Sowing and Planting Black Cumin
Black cumin seeds are sown directly into the bed from March to April to a maximum depth of one centimeter. A row spacing of around 20 centimeters is ideal. It takes around two to three weeks for the small plants to emerge. During this time, it is important to keep the soil moist and regularly remove weeds to promote optimal growth. If you want to propagate the plant indoors, you can start at the end of February and release the young plants outdoors in mid-May.
Location and Soil
Black cumin thrives best in a sunny and warm location. The soil should be humus-rich, loose, calcareous, and not prone to waterlogging. If the soil is compacted, it can be improved with sand or compost.
Black Cumin Varieties
There are no varieties of black cumin. However, there are some related species, including the very similar damsel in the green (Nigella damascena) and the field black cumin (Nigella arvensis).
Caring for Black Cumin
Black cumin is uncomplicated to care for. Find out below what you can do to ensure that the plant performs at its best throughout the season:
Watering
The plant only requires additional watering during prolonged periods of heat and drought.
Fertilization
Fertilization is not necessary if it is grown in normal garden soil.
Pruning
Pruning is not necessary except during harvest time.
Propagation
Black cumin is propagated by sowing. You can find out how this works in the “sowing and planting” section above. If you want to obtain seeds yourself, leave the plant in the bed until the seeds are ripe.
Overwintering
Overwintering is not an issue. The annual plant dies in late fall when the seeds are ripe.
Toxicity
Only the seeds of black cumin are used in cooking. All other parts of the plant are considered slightly poisonous. Cat owners should exercise caution, as it is poisonous to cats and can lead to liver failure.
Alternatives
The damsel in the green (Nigella damascena), also known as maiden pink, is very similar to black cumin. This annual summer flower with its sky-blue blossoms is particularly suitable for growing as a cut flower. The cornflower also has beautiful blue flowers, which are typical cottage garden flowers, and, just like the maiden pink, reliably reseeds itself.
Bee Friendliness
The nectar-rich flowers are very popular with bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, and butterflies.
Diseases and Pests
It is relatively robust. Stem rot can occur in excessively moist locations, in humid summers, and if fertilization is too intensive. Pests rarely attack it.
Harvesting Black Cumin
Harvest when the seeds are ripe. Capsules ready for harvest turn brown and make a rattling sound when the seeds inside are shaken. The seed capsules are cut off, and the seeds are removed and spread out in an airy place to dry out.
Use as a Remedy
The plant’s use as a remedy has a legendary reputation. The Prophet Mohammed is said to have said: “Black cumin cures all diseases except death.” Although this may be an exaggeration, it contains over 100 active ingredients, including linoleic acid and essential oils that promote cell formation and immune defense. The oil is recommended for asthma, allergies, diabetes, neurodermatitis, and other skin diseases, as well as stomach and intestinal problems.
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In the Kitchen
Black cumin can be used in many different ways in the kitchen. It is traditionally used for flatbread, lentil stews, and vegetable curries but also as an ingredient for casseroles, dishes with pulses, breadcrumbs, salad dressings, or spreads.