Nigella ( Nigella damascena ) is often called “ love - in - a - mist ” because of the way its ferny , fennel - same leaves work a mist around the flowers . Once you see N. damascena in bloom , you will always recognise it by its unparalleled swirl of airy bracts and delicate foliage .
The foliage of N. damascena flora is ferny , the heyday are downy , and the seed pod are intriguing . well known for the brilliant blue - prime salmagundi , love - in - a - mist also has cultivars that blooming in purples , pinks , and white . found these adaptable flowers in the leap or even in the crepuscule . The works grow to nearly two feet tall and bloom for several weeks , starting in the late spring . When they reseed on their own , you ll have blooms through evenfall .
With their airy , fern - like leaf and colorful blooms surrounded by captivating bracts , love - in - a - mist blossom bring capricious smasher to garden . Also bonk as nigella , these audacious annuals are leisurely to produce from seed and make harum-scarum additions to flower beds , border , and container garden . Read on to learn more about crop these distinctive beauties .
Overview of Love-in-a-Mist Flowers
Before diving into growing inside information , let ’s do a quick overview of what exactly love - in - a - mist is :
botanic name is Nigella damascena , part of the buttercup family .
Native to southern Europe and parts of Asia and Africa
Grows 1 - 2 feet tall and can spread 1 foot widely ,
Feathery , fern - like leaf forms an graceful “ mist ” around the flower .
bloom take form through early summertime and periodically into fall .
Flowers are blue , purple , pinkish , white or bicolored .
Hardy in zone 3 - 9 and grown as an annual most places .
down upkeep and easy to grow from seed .
Now that you ’re introduce with this beautiful blossom , let ’s look at how to successfully uprise it yourself .
How to Plant Love-in-a-Mist
Love - in - a - mist thrives when directly sow in in the garden . Here are some tips :
prefer a website with full sun to partial shade and average , well - draining soil .
In early bounce , sow seed 1/4 column inch deeply where you require plants to grow .
blank space seeds 6 - 12 inches apart to set aside for ripe emergence .
piss mildly after sow and keep soil moist until sprouting .
flimsy seedling or transplant duplicate at least 8 - 10 inch aside once established .
Can also startle indoors 3 - 4 workweek before last frost but take care in transplant .
Growing and Caring for Love-in-a-Mist
With basic upkeep , lovemaking - in - a - mist is an wanton and rewarding garden peak :
body of water regularly to maintain evenly moist grunge , avoid extremes of too wet or dry .
utilize an all - design fertilizer at planting and monthly throughout bloom .
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more efflorescence .
Cut flowers for bouquets before seminal fluid heads form to prolong inflorescence .
Remove developing cum pods if not collect seeds .
Thin unwanted ego - sown seedlings in fall or saltation to control spread .
Cut plants back to the dry land after flowering finishes in spill .
Popular Varieties to Grow
Some top varieties to expect for when buying love - in - a - mist seeded player :
Miss Jekyll – Classic variety with naughty semi - double prime .
Miss Jekyll Alba – White reading of Miss Jekyll .
Mulberry Rose – Rosy pink colored flowers .
Oxford Blue – cryptic blue flush on tall plants .
Persian Jewels Mix – compass of pinkish , violet , lavender and blanched .
Blue Midget – Dwarf 10 - inch plant staring for edging .
Tips for an Abundant Floral Display
get seed in other saltation as well as mid to belated summertime for fall flowers .
Make successive planting every 2 - 3 weeks for continuous flower .
develop in organically rich , fat soil amended with compost .
Choose a site with full Dominicus to partial ghost . Morning sun is idealistic .
place flora 8 - 12 inches aside to prevent crowding and rival .
Keep grunge systematically moist but not waterlogged .
Deadhead expend blooms and cut flowers to prolong unfolding .
Saving Love-in-a-Mist Seeds
Let some blooms go to semen in gloam to collect for next year :
Identify dry out seed heads and pick when seedpod begin splitting open .
Place in a report bag and allow to fully dry out in a warm spot for a week .
Shake the bag day by day to separate out the grey-headed - dark seeds .
Store seeds in an envelope or jar in a nerveless positioning until planting sentence .
The Allure of Love-in-a-Mist Flowers
With their lacy foliage , colorful efflorescence , and entrancing seed cod , it ’s easy to see why love - in - a - mist makes a charming addition to flower beds and container gardens . A cottage garden staple , these ego - sow annual command minimal upkeep while pull in pollinator and adding delicious arbitrariness to the landscape . Give them a effort this spring and let these iconic flowers puzzle out their brumous magic in your own garden .
Pruning
By deadheading and cut blossom for bouquet , you could make your plants flower for a small longer , but you ’ll drop the interesting seed pods . lovemaking - in - a - mist easy self - sows , so you could cut the seedling to prevent overcrowding . harvest time for bouquets when bloom bud have fully colored or pods have begun to develop .
Soil
N. Damask rise does n’t deal too much about the quality of the soil , but it will grow and flower considerably in fertile , nourishing - plentiful dirt . In its natural habitat , the flora grows honorable in sandy , damp stain that is n’t too wet . It also does well in soil that has a neutral pH. Love - in - a - mist can tolerate somewhat juiceless conditions as well as other types of filth , include loam , cadaver - loam , and gravelly .
How To grow Nigella | Love In A Mist
FAQ
Is honey - in - a - mist a repeated or annual ?
What prime means love - in - a - mist ?
Do love in the mist get along back every year ?
Is love - in - a - mist invasive ?
