Ammi majus seed Graceland Laceflower

LATIN NAME: Ammi majus

COMMON NAME: Bishop’s Weed

Bishop’s weed is the airy, white, lace-like annual of the old borders. The upright, branching annual carries the fine, deeply cut, ferny leaves, and the flat, rounded heads of the tiny, white flowers open through the summer, one of the old favourites of the cottage garden. The whole plant has the fine, airy, lacy look of the old flower borders, and the dried flower heads hold their shape well. It is a fine, easy, generous plant of the open, sunny, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

Bishop’s weed has carved a quiet but solid place in the plant science, and the annual has been studied for the flat, rounded heads of the tiny, white flowers and the fine, deeply cut leaves. The chemistry of the plant, which has a long record of use in the traditional practice of the old world, has been studied closely, and it keeps showing up in the work on the traditional remedies and the plants of the carrot family. The fine, lacy look and the easy, generous habit have also made it a favourite of the cottage gardeners, and the plant is a regular subject of the studies of the old flower borders.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Bishop’s weed does a lot of work in the garden. The flat, rounded, lacy heads of the white flowers are a fine, airy presence in the border and the cutting garden, and the ferny leaves give the plant a soft, old-fashioned charm. The dried flower heads hold their shape well, which makes them a fine filler of the dried arrangements, and the plant is an easy, generous self-seeder of the sunny border. The old use of the plant in the traditional practice is best left to the careful hands, since the sap can make the skin sensitive to the sun. It has been written about in the horticultural and the herbal papers for the lacy flowers and the old uses, and it is a fine, easy plant of the open, sunny, well-drained garden.

Bishop’s weed is one of the old favourites of the cottage border, and the flat, rounded heads of the tiny, white flowers float over the fine, deeply cut leaves like the lace of the old curtains. The plant is an easy, generous self-seeder, and the dried heads hold their shape well in the winter arrangements.

To grow the bishop’s weed from seed, scatter the fine seeds over the surface of pots of moist, free-draining soil and press them in lightly, keep them in a bright, open spot and water gently. The seedlings appear within a couple of weeks and grow on fast. With the sun and the well-drained ground, the flat, lacy heads of the white flowers will float over the border through the summer.

Uses: Medicinal/Poisonous

Developed for the commercial cutflower market. Stems are strong, straight and uniform for easier harvest. The white flowers are large flat umbels floating above the dark green foliage. When plants are in bloom it looks like the angels draped celestial white lace everywhere. Excellent garden annual for tall borders. Ht. 100-125cm (40-50in).