Bunium persicum
(Boiss.) B.Fedtsch.
Apiaceae
Carum bulbocastanum Koch
Carum persicum Boiss.
Common Name: Black Caraway
General Information
Bunium persicum is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant growing from underground tubers; it produces one or more stems that branch from the middle, growing from 40 - 60cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of an essential oil. It is occasionally cultivated for its edible seeds, which are used as a cumin-like flavouring[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
South-eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan northwestern India
Habitat
Gentle exposed mountain slopes in C. Asia[
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Dry scrubby slopes in the Himalayas[
145- Title
- Forest Flora of Srinagar.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P.
- Publisher
- Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.50 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A native of the temperate to subtropical zones, the plant can be grown as an annual in more tropical areas.
The plant is likely to prefer a well-drained light to medium soil in sun or light shade.
Edible Uses
Root - raw or cooked[
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
]. Tastes like sweet chestnuts.
Seed - used as a flavouring[
145- Title
- Forest Flora of Srinagar.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P.
- Publisher
- Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses.
], a cumin substitute. Highly valued as a spice in Pakistan where it is often preferred to cumin as an ingredient in curries because of its stronger flavour[
287- Title
- Flora of Pakistan
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.efloras.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- As of 2006, there is not much information on habitats available, but it is being developed and promises to be an excellent resource.
,
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. A more complex flavour than cumin[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
The essential oil of the fruits is widely used for seasoning pickles, meat sauce[
].
Medicinal
The seeds are carminative and diuretic[
].
Other Uses
An essential oil from the seeds is used to make candles aromatic[
].
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring or autumn.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
