Nigella damascena

RHS Plant Profile
love-in-a-mist

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love-in-a-mist RHS
love-in-a-mist RHS

Other common names

bird's nest, blue crown, blue spiderflower, chase-the-devil, devil in a bush, devil in the bush, garden fennel, Jack in prison, Jack in the green, Katherine's flower, kiss-me-twice-before-I-rise, lady in the bower, love-in-a-puzzle, love-in-a-tangle, St Catherine's flower

RHS Recommended

Plants for pollinators
Annual Biennial

An upright, bushy annual to 50cm, with feathery bright green foliage. Saucer-shaped, pale blue flowers 4cm across with a ruff of foliage, finely divided at the tips, are borne in summer followed by decorative, inflated seed capsules

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Nigella are upright, bushy annuals with finely dissected leaves and solitary flowers with 5 blue or white, petal-like sepals and feathery bracts, followed by ornamental seed pods
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
S Europe N Africa

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in situ in mid-spring or autumn. Autumn-sown plants may need the winter protection of a cold frame or cloche

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Coastal
  • Patio and container plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free