Common Name:

General Information

Ferula ovina is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a taproot; it produces 1 - 2 robust stems growing around 50 - 100cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Western and central Asia - Saudi Arabia and Irag to Kazakhstan, western China (Xinjiang) and the western Himalayas

Habitat

Stony mountain slopes[]. Gravelly slopes; at elevations from 1,200 - 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.75 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Ferula ovina.is a plant of continental temperate climates with warm to hot summers and cold winters. It grows in arid to semi-arid environments.
Ferula species generally can succeed in most soils[], though they prefer a deep, fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position[].
Plants have a long taproot and are intolerant of root disturbance[]. They should be planted into their final positions as soon as possible.

Edible Uses

The aerial parts of the plant are used as a condiment and spice[].

Medicinal

Both fresh and dried aerial parts of the plant are anticholinergic, antispasmodic. The have remarkable smooth muscle relaxant properties[]

Both fresh and died aerial parts of the plant and the roots have been shown to have apoptosis and cytotoxic influences plus antimicrobial impacts[]

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as the seed is ripe in a greenhouse in autumn[]. Otherwise sow in mid spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Plant them out into their permanent positions whilst still small because the plants dislike root disturbance[]. If necessary, give the plants a protective mulch for their first winter outdoors.
Division in autumn. This may be inadvisable due to the plants dislike of root disturbance.