Plant Anethum graveolens

Spice:

Dill

Botanical Name:

Anethum graveolens

Botany:

Dill grows up to 1.5–5 feet (0.46–1.52 m) from a taproot like a carrot. Its stems are slender and hollow with finely divided, softly delicate leaves; the leaves are alternately arranged, 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long with ultimate leaf divisions are 1–2 mm (1⁄32–3⁄32 in) broad, slightly broader than the similar leaves of fennel, which are threadlike, less than 1 mm (1⁄16 in) broad, but harder in texture. In hot or dry weather, small white to yellow scented flowers form in small umbels 1–3+1⁄2 in (2.5–8.9 cm) diameter from one long stalk. The seeds come from dried up fruit 4–5 mm (3⁄16–3⁄16 in) long and 1 mm (1⁄16 in) thick, and straight to slightly curved with a longitudinally ridged surface.

Cultivation:

Successful cultivation requires warm to hot summers with high sunshine levels; even partial shade will reduce the yield substantially. It also prefers rich, well-drained soil. The seed is harvested by cutting the flower heads off the stalks when the seed is beginning to ripen. The seed heads are placed upside down in a paper bag and left in a warm, dry place for a week. The seeds then separate from the stems easily for storage in an airtight container. These plants, like their fennel and parsley relatives, often are eaten by black swallowtail caterpillars in areas where that species occurs. For this reason, they may be included in some butterfly gardens.

Wikipedia URL:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dill