Nigella, Exotic Love-in-a-Mist (Organic)
Nigella hispanica. 70-80 days.
Purple-blue flowers are 2 ½” wide with a captivating cluster of extruded dark purple stamens and pistils at the center. Pollinator friendly blooms attract almost as many insect visitors as California poppies. Long, 16″ stems make great fresh cut flowers with blooms lasting just over one week – a little longer than other nigella. Seed pods are also captivating and look amazing in everlasting flower arrangements. Exotic Love-in-a-Mist is an easy to grow, direct sown annual, happy in partial shade to full sun. Native to Spain. We would like to thank Fedco Seeds for turning us on to this variety. Related to, but not the same as Black-Seeded Culinary Nigella which is used as a culinary herb. Aka, Spanish Fennel Flower.
Direct sow 1/8” deep in fall for early spring blooms. Or sow in spring for summer blooms. Bloom time is short – succession sowing is recommended for continuous harvest. Thin to 6-12”. Transplanting not recommended. Will grow in part shade but prefers full sun. Deadhead to prolong bloom and limit self-seeding.
Seed Saving
Collect seeds from seed heads that are fully dry. Thresh by hand; winnow or screen to clean. Some cross-pollination may occur, isolate from other varieties of the same species by 1/4 mile.
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