Description
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is native to North Africa, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula; it is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavoring food.
Uses
Dill has various culinary applications:
- Pickling: Essential in dill pickles and preserved vegetables
- Fish dishes: Traditional pairing with salmon and other seafood
- Eastern European cuisine: Common in Polish, Russian, and German cooking
- Salads: Fresh leaves used in potato salad and cucumber dishes
- Soups: Added to borscht and other soups
- Bread: Seeds used in rye bread and crackers
- Herb butter: Mixed with butter for flavoring
Origin
Dill is native to North Africa, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula. The word dill and its close relatives are found in most of the Germanic languages; its ultimate origin is unknown.
Plant Characteristics
Dill grows up to 1.5–5 feet (0.46–1.52 m) from a taproot like a carrot. Its stems are slender and hollow with finely divided, softly delicate leaves. The leaves are alternately arranged, 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long with ultimate leaf divisions measuring 1–2 mm broad.
Flowers and Seeds
In hot or dry weather, small white to yellow scented flowers form in small umbels 1–3½ in (2.5–8.9 cm) diameter from one long stalk. The seeds come from dried up fruit 4–5 mm long and 1 mm thick, straight to slightly curved with a longitudinally ridged surface.
Cultivation
Successful cultivation requires warm to hot summers with high sunshine levels; even partial shade will reduce the yield substantially. It also prefers rich, well-drained soil. The seed is harvested by cutting the flower heads off the stalks when the seed is beginning to ripen.
Etymology
The genus name Anethum is the Latin form of Greek ἄνῑσον, which meant both “dill” and “anise”. The form ‘anīsum’ came to be used for anise, and ‘anēthum’ for dill. The Latin word is the origin of dill’s names in the Western Romance languages.