Ferula foetida seed
LATIN NAME: FERULA FOETIDA
COMMON NAME: Asafoetida
On the arid steppes of central Asia, the asafoetida grows as a massive, coarse perennial herb with the large, leathery, much-divided leaves in a wide basal rosette and the thick, hollow flowering stem rising with the broad, flat umbels of dull-yellow flowers in the early summer. In time it steadily becomes a rounded crown, reaching 5-10 metres. Cold winters and deep, well-drained soils suit it well.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The asafoetida of the steppes appears in the studies of the great umbellifers of the dry interior, its thick root and its strong-smelling gum-resin keeping it in view in the work on the spice plants of the silk road and the arid-land perennial herbs. The research looks at the way the coarse leaves hold the dry ground, the flat umbels rise above the steppe, and the seed biology of the flat, thin seeds.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the dry garden, the asafoetida makes the bold, coarse, towering plant that anchors the back of the border and asks for almost nothing but sun and drainage. The pungent gum has travelled the trade routes as a spice and a remedy for centuries, and the plant makes the fine architectural perennial and the collector”s curiosity of the hot, dry garden. It is a plant for the open, sunny, dry and free-draining place.
To grow the Asafoetida from seed, sow the freshly gathered seeds in autumn, one to a small pot of sandy soil.
Sow the freshly gathered seeds in autumn, one to a small pot of sandy soil, and keep the young plants in the open, sunny spot. The coarse leaves spread with the spring.
LATIN NAME: Ferula foetida
COMMON NAME: Asafoetida, Giant Fennel
The asafoetida is a historic and remarkable herb of the dry mountains, and its giant, feathery stems and its strong, aromatic gum have made it one of the most storied of the spices of the East. In good conditions it grows a dense, bushy clump, staying under a metre. It is a species of the carrot family, native to central Asia, eastern Iran, western Afghanistan and western Pakistan, and it is the most widely distributed species that produces the asafoetida, while it is often mistaken for the southern Iranian species Ferula assa-foetida.
The asafoetida belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae, and it is a species of the Ferula, native to central Asia, eastern Iran, western Afghanistan and western Pakistan. It is the most widely distributed species that produces the asafoetida, and it is often mistaken for the southern Iranian species Ferula assa-foetida, while the plant is prized for its strong, resinous gum.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The asafoetida has a genuine and distinguished place in both chemical and culinary research. It has been studied in the chemistry of the natural products, since the gum of the plant contains a complex range of the resinous and the volatile compounds, and researchers have examined the composition of the gum, its aroma and its potential uses, while the strong, pungent gum has been a treasured and storied spice of the East for a very long time, and its chemistry has drawn attention in the international food and natural-product press as a remarkable subject of study. The plant has also been studied in pharmacology, since the gum has a long history of use in the traditional medicine of the region, and researchers have examined the potential uses of the compounds, while the traditional uses of the asafoetida have been examined, and it is best to treat the gum with respect, as a subject of the traditional medicine and the research rather than a casual home remedy. The species has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of the carrot family, and its classification and its relationships have been examined, while its distinction from the related species has been examined. For a herb of such history and such strong character, the asafoetida has a rich and distinguished record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the asafoetida is a remarkable plant of the dry mountains. Its large heads of yellowish bloom feed the bees and the insects, and its giant stems give shelter, while it is a historic presence in the mountains and the dry grasslands of central Asia and Iran.
Its economic value is real and historic. The strong, resinous gum is a treasured and storied spice of the East, used in the cooking and valued for its flavour, and its chemistry has drawn attention in the international food and natural-product press, while it has a long history of use in the traditional medicine of the region. For a grower, the asafoetida is a rewarding and historic plant, and for a gardener with a warm, dry spot it brings giant, feathery stems and a remarkable presence. The seeds are easy — sow them in a pot of moist, free-draining compost in a warm, sunny spot, keep them lightly watered, and theyll sprout within a few weeks, growing on, with patience, into a giant, feathery-stemmed plant.