The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Annuals => Topic started by: John J on April 15, 2018, 07:29:48 PM
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An exciting find this morning by my wife. She saw this flower that had suddenly appeared, apparently out of nowhere, until she remembered sowing some seeds in the general area 2 years before. They were supposedly seeds of a nigella that was rare in Cyprus. The Red Data Book quickly identified it as Nigella ciliaris. This nigella has not been recorded in the wild in Cyprus since 1862 in one location and 1889 and 1912 in a second. It was recorded in a private garden collection in 1987. It does occur in Syria and Israel.
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That is a wonderful photograph of a fabulous flower - well done John and Charithea.
Good to know that a passion for plants and gardening can help save plants that are rare and obviously threatened in former habitats.
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Wow!!
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I'm pleased to report that the Nigella ciliaris has reappeared this year, in time for friends from Greece who were staying with us for a few days to see it. This time we'll attempt to harvest any seeds in order to try it in other areas and increase the numbers.
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Shame it doesn't seed itself about as prolifically as other Nigella - much as I love them I do find myself having to pull them out by the handful in some areas where they threaten to swamp other plants.. however if it did that I suppose we would not appreciate it as much ?
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Carole, thank you for your comments re nigella! I have a yearly battle with my other half when it comes to removing them from places that I consider them to be unwelcome. When she returns later from visiting her sister I will show her your posting to re-enforce my argument!
We will try to gather seed from the N. ciliaris this year and if we are successful maybe have enough to send you some.
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I love Nigellas especially the double petalled in white or blue. I don't know why John complains. I pulled out a lot of Nigellas yesterday evening because I spotted some seedlings of Flomis purpurea. I had put the seeds down last November and the Nigellas protected them from the heavy rain. They have other uses besides being pretty.
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Oh dear! Didn't want to add fuel to the fire regarding the question of the propensity of Nigella to self seed! I love it but find in my 'new garden' , where the soil is wonderfully friable, that it can be so successful it chokes out anything that stands in its way.
On a happier note I e.mailed David D the other day thanking him for a wonderful Salvia indica that he gave me as a small plant last September and that is now in flower. He replied that the seed had come from Charithea which fact made me doubly happy. :) :)
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Don't worry Carole you have not caused any problems. True this year with the wonderful rain the Nigella has SPRED. Salvia indicahas such beautiful flowers. My main one has already flowered and it is seeding but I have more growing at different stages. The other great thing about them it is that they regrow in the autumn after their summer rest .
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Nigella ciliarus
The first of all the seeds, which I planted in October, to produce flowers this year.
I had acquired the seeds, which originated in Cyprus 2020, from Chantal who runs
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY Seed Exchange
The first flower opened on the first of March followed by more on 12th March
Now I wish I had planted them in a bigger container
I found the flower rather nondescript while the seed pods are wonderful.
This annual is mentioned in
SUSTAINABLE PLANTS FOR MEDITERRANEAN HORTICULTURE IN ISRAEL
By Ori Fragman-Sapir
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 76, April 2014
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Correction
Nigella ciliarus is mentioned in
PRESERVING ENDANGERED PLANTS
By John Joynes
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 93, July 2018
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Seeds that Charithea sent to me of Nigella cillaris a couple of years ago only produced one plant. So, it may be true that it doesn't self-seed so easily. That one plant has survived and is producing flowers and the wonderful seed pods as I write. I sowed some more seeds this spring and 3 or 4 have germinated. Fingers crossed that we will have a little colony in Rome to help protect the species.