Black cumin is one of the most important spices in Arabic and Indian cuisine. We provide tips on growing, harvesting and using black cumin.
With its delicate growth, star-shaped flowers and filigree leaves, black cumin (Nigella sativa) is an ornamental crop. Its seeds can be processed into oil, spices or medicines.
Black cumin: origin and properties
Black cumin or Roman coriander belongs to the large and diverse family of buttercups (Ranunculaceae), just like clematis (Clematis) or winter agaric (Eranthis ). The black cumin plant has its origins in Southern Europe, North Africa and Western Asia, but is now widespread and can be found in many places around the world. Commercial cultivation of black seed takes place mainly in India and the Middle East.
The annual, deep-rooted black cumin forms 25 - 50 cm high, hardly branched plants with fine, very narrow, multi-pinnate leaves. The grey-green colored black cumin leaves are alternately attached to the thin light green stalks. Black cumin blooms between May and September. Now the star-shaped flowers with five to ten petals in shades of blue, white or pink appear. Black seed flowers are bee-friendly, providing plenty of nectar and moderate amounts of pollen for pollinating insects during the summer months. After pollination, the base of the flower expands into a blistered, multi-chambered seed capsule, inside which the deep black, triangular black cumin seeds are formed. When the seeds ripen between September and October, the seed pod turns from light green to brown.
Confusion of black cumin: Confusion with the related species Jungfer im Grünen (Nigella damascena) is very common due to the great similarity of the plants. The seeds of the Jungfer im Grünen can basically be used in the same way as black cumin seeds.Black sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum var. nigrum) have similar, albeit less angular seeds, but are easy to distinguish in taste. Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and real caraway (Carum carvi), on the other hand, are related to black cumin only by name because of their spicy taste. They belong to the umbelliferae (Apiaceae) and can be clearly distinguished by the elongated, grooved and slightly curved split fruits.
Planting black cumin: sowing, location and Co.
The optimal location for black cumin is sunny on sandy, humus-rich loamy soil. However, the thermophilic plant grows on most fresh to moderately dry, calcareous substrates with a pH of 6 to 7 and good water supply. Heavy, compacted and waterlogged soils are not suitable for growing black cumin. However, they can be improved with sand, compost or good quality potting soil.
Due to the long ripening period, black cumin is sown as early as possible in early spring from a soil temperature of 5 °C and more, between March and April. The seeds of the black cumin should be sown 1 - 2 cm deep into the ground and lightly pressed. When sowing Nigella in rows, a distance of 20 - 30 cm is ideal. After that, the soil should be kept moist. The first tender seedlings appear after two to three weeks.
Sow black cumin at best directly into the bed or loosely into a planter with at least 5 liters of soil volume with good water drainage and a drainage layer. For planting in tubs and balcony boxes or to improve heavy soil, we recommend a nutrient-poor, permeable potting soil, such as our Plantura organic herb and seed soil. The compost-rich, airy substrate stores moisture, promotes the root development of the seedlings and, in contrast to most growing soil, does not require any peat, which is harmful to the environment.
At a glance: plant black cumin
- Location: Sunny on sandy, humus-rich loamy soil with a pH of 6 to 7
- Sow outdoors or in a planter with at least 5 L of soil
- In March to April from 5 °C ground temperature
- Sow seeds 1 - 2 cm deep, row spacing of 20 - 30 cm
- Keep soil well moist
The right care
Black cumin is quite undemanding in terms of care, but requires prolonged heat and droughtregular watering. Fertilization is not necessary for normally supplied garden soils. However, exhausted, one-sidedly cultivated or heavily stressed soils benefit from the use of our animal-free Plantura organic soil activator. In addition to nutrients and organic matter, it also introduces microorganisms as a "starter culture" for diverse soil life and long-term humus build-up in the soil.
Black seed is considered susceptible to the larvae of the click beetle, better known as wireworms (Agriotes). The plants wilt for no apparent reason as the wireworms eat their way into the stems from the ground up. Stem rot can also occur in humid summers, in unfavorable locations or with excessive fertilization and irrigation.
The annual black cumin plant dies in late autumn when the seeds are ripe. A sure sign that the pods are ready for harvest is the rustling of the seeds inside. Now the entire seed heads are cut off and laid out to dry at room temperature for a few days. The seeds can then be extracted and stored in a dry, dark and cool place as spice or black cumin seeds for the next year.
Can you eat black cumin?
Only the seeds of Nigella are used in cooking and phytotherapy. All other parts are considered slightly toxic. Black cumin seeds can be eaten raw, but roasting beforehand is common to bring out the nutty and spicy taste more clearly. Black cumin can be used therapeutically in dogs, horses and rodents because the effects are similar to those in humans. In addition, the black cumin oil is said to act against ticks, asthmatic coughs and to strengthen the immune system.
Warning: black cumin is toxic to cats! Black cumin can cause liver failure in cats.
Uses and effects of black cumin
Black cumin plays an important role as a spice in Arabic and South Asian cuisine, and black cumin is also important in herbal medicine. The high-fat seeds are dried or ground as a spice or pressed into black cumin oil, which is rich in linoleic acid.
Black cumin seeds are used in folk medicine for indigestion, jaundice and liver problems. The seeds can be pureor in the form of Ayurvedic black cumin tea. Two teaspoons full of powdered black cumin seeds are poured over boiling water and left to steep for about ten minutes. The daily dose should not exceed four cups of tea or eight teaspoons of seeds to avoid side effects of black cumin such as allergic skin reactions. Cold-pressed, antioxidant and antibacterial Nigella sativa oil can be taken in capsule form for breathing problems and asthma or rubbed on the chest for relief.
What do you season with black cumin? With its smoky, slightly bitter and lemony-aromatic taste, the he althy black cumin can serve as a pepper substitute. Black cumin is traditionally used in sweet or savory pastries such as pide, pogaca or flatbread, as well as in lentil stews and vegetable curries. Popular black cumin recipes describe the use of the seeds in casseroles, breading, salad dressings and spreads. Among other things, black cumin oil gives hummus or quark dips an aromatic note.
Another medicinal relative of black cumin is liverwort (Hepatica). We present the early-blooming perennial in the profile and give tips on cultivation and care.