Dill – Anethum graveolens

Common Name: Dill

Botanical Name: Anethum graveolens, a-NAY-thum grav-ee-O-lenz

Decorative Life: 5-10 days.

Flower Color: Green, White, Yellow

Availability: Fall, Summer

Haakana et al. (2001) showed that treating ‘Bouquet’ with ethanol vapors during production increased the biomass of plants during production. Harvest when 1/3 to 1/4 of the flowers are open.

• Member of the Umbelliferae (parsley) family.
• Native to Southwest Asia.
• Two common relatives are Queen Anne’s Lace and Blue Lace Flower.

• It has tiny, star-like flowers in flat-topped clusters at stem ends.
• Stems are hollow, branched and leafy, 18-24 inches long.
• Plant is an annual, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined.
• Flower “fragrance” is pungent.

32-35F in water for a short time.

• The Egyptians used dill as a medicine, the Greeks used it to quiet hiccups. Dill was used in the Middle Ages to protect against witchcraft and, when infused in wine, to enhance passion.
• Settlers in North America called dill “meeting seed” because it was given to children to chew on to keep them quiet during sermons. Genus name derives from “anethon”, the Greek word for dill. The specific epithet name graveolens means heavy-scented, in reference to its pungent smell.
• Used for pickling, seed infusion makes a strengthening bath for nails, high in mineral salts so good in a salt-free diet. According to Creasy (1999), fresh petals are edible. Can be used in salads, omelets and vegetable dishes.
• Useful as a filler in bouquets in similar fashion as Queen-Anne’s-Lace. Plants of this family often exhibit strong or pungent odors, many species are grown for food, flavoring and medicinal reasons while some are also grown for ornamental purposes.
• This hardy annual herb comes to us from Iran and India, is easy to grow and makes an attractive background plant in flower beds. While dill”s leaves and seeds are best known as flavor enhancers used in cooking, the plant produces an attractive, umbrella-shaped yellow flower.