Ferula asafoetida seed
LATIN NAME: Ferula asafoetida
COMMON NAME: Asafoetida
The asafoetida lifts the tall, thick stem and the great, flat-topped, yellow-green umbels above the bold, divided leaves, and the whole plant carries the fine, bold look of the dry hillside. The stout, perennial herb of the dry hills carries the bold, much-divided, fern-like leaves in the basal tufts, and the many small, yellow-green flowers in the great, flat-topped, compound umbels through the early summer, one of the bold, quiet sights of the dry hillside, drawing the bees, to be followed by the flat, oval, brownish seeds. The resinous gum of the roots has a very long record in the old practice of the dry lands, and the plant is a historic presence of the dry hillside. It is a plant of the open, sunny, light, sandy, well-drained ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The asafoetida is a historic subject of the plant science, and the resinous gum keep showing up in the work on the aromatic herbs of the dry lands. The way the gum forms in the thick, fleshy roots of the stout herb has been examined closely, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the aromatic herbs, the divided leaves and the members of the carrot family. The great umbels and the bold habit have also made it a fine study herb, and the asafoetida is a regular subject of the work on the resinous gums of the dry world.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
The asafoetida is a bold, useful plant of the dry hillside and the study collection. The bold, much-divided, fern-like leaves in the basal tufts carry the bold look of the dry hillside, one of the bold, quiet sights of the dry hillside, drawing the bees, and the resinous gum of the roots has a very long record in the old practice of the dry lands, the dried gum coming to the old spice boxes and the steady remedies of the old shops, while the many small, yellow-green flowers in the great, flat-topped, compound umbels open through the early summer, to be followed by the flat, oval, brownish seeds. It is one of the fine choices for the dry hillside, the aromatic garden and the study collection, and it has been written about in the botanical and the culinary papers for the strong gum and the very long history. It is a bold, useful plant of the open, sunny, light, sandy, well-drained garden.
The asafoetida seeds grow readily in a fine, gritty mix kept barely moist. The young plants are bold and quick once they root, and they are happiest in the light, sandy, well-drained ground of the dry border.
To grow the asafoetida from seed, sow the flat, brown seeds evenly over the top of the tray of fine, gritty soil, water lightly, then keep the tray in a bright, open spot. The seedlings push through within a few weeks, and they grow on steadily. With the sun and the light, sandy, well-drained ground, the great umbels will rise over the years.