Cuminum cyminum

Taxonomy and growth

Family

Umbelliferae

Genus

Cuminum

Life cycle

annual

Height

0.3 m

Spread

0.2 m

Fertility

Self fertile, Insects

Flower type

hermaphrodite

Pollinators

Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked as a flavouring. Cumin seed was once widely used as a food flavouring in Europe, the Romans ground it into a powder and used it like pepper^[13]. It is little used at present in Western cooking, though it is much employed in India^[13]. A hot and aromatic flavour, it is an important ingredient in curries, and is also often used as a flavouring in biscuits, cakes and bread where it also helps in improving the digestion^{[1][16][3][7][14][17][2][4][10]}. The seed is harvested when fully ripe and is then dried and stored in airtight jars^[10]. An essential oil from the seed is used as a food flavouring^[17][18][4].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Cumin is an aromatic, astringent herb that benefits the digestive system and acts as a stimulant to the sexual organs^[8]. It has been used in the treatment of minor digestive complaints, chest conditions and coughs, as a pain killer and to treat rotten teeth^[8][12]. Cumin is seldom used in Western herbal medicine, having been superseded by caraway which has similar properties but a more pleasant flavour^[16]. It is still widely used in India, however^[16] where it is said to promote the assimilation of other herbs and to improve liver function^[8]. The seed is antispasmodic, carminative, galactogogue, stimulant and stomachic^{[16][17][9][12]}. A general tonic to the whole digestive system, it is used in the treatment of flatulence and bloating, reducing intestinal gas and relaxing the gut as a whole^[12]. In India it is also used in the treatment of insomnia, colds and fevers and to improve milk production in nursing mothers^[12]. Ground into a powder and mixed into a paste with onion juice, it has been applied to scorpion stings^[12]. The herb has been used externally as a poultice to relieve stitch and pains in the side^[10]. The essential oil obtained from the seed is antibacterial and larvicidal^[8].

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed contains about 2.5% essential oil^[9]. It is used in perfumery and for flavouring beverages^{[17][18][5][15]}.

Environment

Range

Europe to N. Africa and S.W.Asia? Original habitat is obscure.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild condition.

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

no shade

Water

moderate

Hardiness

Zone 8+

Soil textures

sandy, loamy

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline

Drainage

well drained

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

No

Drought

intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Tolerant of most well-drained soils^[13], though it prefers a warm fertile well-drained sandy loam in a sheltered sunny position^[3][6]. A frost-tender annual plant, cumin has been cultivated for over 2,000 years in warm temperate and tropical zones for its edible seed. This is used mainly as a flavouring in curries etc, though it has also been employed medicinally^[16][17][2]. The plant only succeeds outdoors in Britain in warm summers, taking 3 - 4 months to ripen its seed^[6]. Another report says that the plant can ripen its seeds as far north as Norway^[13]. When bruised, the plant has a pungent aroma^[11].

Related plants

• Aciphylla colensoiWild Spaniard
• Aciphylla squarrosaSpeargrass
• Aegopodium alpestre
• Aegopodium podagrariaGround Elder

References

1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

   ↩

2. Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.

   ↩1↩2

3. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

   ↩1↩2

4. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

   ↩1↩2

5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

   ↩

6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

   ↩1↩2↩3

7. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

   ↩

8. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

   ↩1↩2↩3↩4

9. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

   ↩1↩2

10. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2↩3

11. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

12. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

13. Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Orbis Publishing. London. 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-85613-067-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

14. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

    ↩

15. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩

16. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

17. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

18. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2