Nigella damascena

RHS Plant Profile

love-in-a-mist

Other common names

bird's nest, blue spiderflower, chase-the-devil, 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, blue crown, devil in a bush

Annual Biennial

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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

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