Nigella Species, Devil in a Bush, Hair of Venus, Love-in-a-Mist, Ragged Lady

On Aug 4, 2017, camille4 from Fulton, TX wrote:

I found this flower when i first visited a new friend about 12 years ago in Austin, TX. It is so beautiful and the color of blue is surreal. I harvested the seeds as well as planted new ones. I had a perennial garden and they were the low flowering plants under the taller ones and they need a little shade where it's hot. I had to order the seeds but grew it every year before moving to Rockport, TX on the coast. Sadly, I cannot get it to grow here. It will come up and die - too hot, too humid, too sandy, whatever it makes me sad because the lacey leaves are as lovely as the flowers. I would never cause such as pretty flower a pest........

On Jul 31, 2017, goulot from Canton, MI wrote:

I have both blue and pink ones, in different parts of the garden. They reseed themselves profusely, so there is no need to collect seeds, unless you want to selected a particular shade of blue or pink (which I did).

If you let them reseed themselves, be sure to thin the seedlings; otherwise, you will end up with a multitude of sickly little plants, just a few inches high. Properly thinned, mine grow to about two feet.

The seeds are also used in cooking (Middle-Eastern recipes if I am not mistaken).

On Jun 25, 2014, andy_in_okf from Oklahoma City, OK wrote:

I purchased white Love in a Mist seeds from Mount Vernon. I was able to get them to grow in Oklahoma in mostly shade. They grow about 8". It has barely reseeded but is a perennial. This year I realized how to release the seeds from the pod and will see if that will help it spread.

On Feb 3, 2014, Oberon46 from (Mary) Anchorage, AK (Zone 4b) wrote:

A lovely plant and even more lovely flower. Like blue fairies. I planted Miss Jekyl two years ago. It does not come back like it does down south so this year I bought a jeweled variety. Hope they do well and will save seeds. Wonderful filler up here.

On Jul 18, 2012, bigarden from Beecher, IL wrote:

I planted this once. What a mistake I made! It took me years to get rid of its progeny. It is at least as hardy and prolific as any weed. I would NOT recommend it. I also don't care for its appearance.

On Jun 8, 2012, VioletDumplin from Mobile City, TX wrote:

This is the first year I've grown love-in-a-mist and it's really a cool plant. Flowers very profusely and grows easily from seed. Here lately, however, it's been whispering nasty things to me as I stop to admire it: horrible, god-forbidden things that no human should hear. So be warned, it's beauty and easy nature mask something much more dark and sinister. Still I suppose I will harvest some seeds and continue enjoying its delicate beauty year after year, just with my hands over my ears.

On Mar 29, 2011, dsigngrrl from Springfield, MO wrote:

This unusual looking flower was here when I bought the house, and only through research did I find out what it was. It has self seeded each year, and I am very happy to note that this year is no exception. In fact, it did such a good job of it, I moved some to other locations throughout my yard to various gardens. So far, so good. I love this little guy, pretty ferny leaves, crazy beautiful flower, interesting seed pods... what's not to love?

On Oct 15, 2009, marti001 from Somerset, KY (Zone 6b) wrote:

I grew this wonderful flower in my garden in Calif. Ventura County. It flourished and reseeded itself. Plus, as I had planted a mix of colors, after the second year I started to see other colors. It had cross pollenated itself and I had some stricking new colors. I miss it terribly and have added it to my want list for my new garden here in KY.
Marti001

On Jul 23, 2008, colliwobbles from (Jana) Shoreline, WA (Zone 8a) wrote:

I scattered some seeds in a not-so-great flower bed back in 2004, and the flowers have become a perennial for me. This year, they produced the biggest plant yet, and it grew from a seed that must have been carried into our gravel driveway!

On Feb 14, 2005, kviolette from Raleigh, NC (Zone 8a) wrote:

This is one of my favorite and most reliable plants in the garden. They self sow in sufficient numbers that voles cannot eat them all; they bloom Mayish after the seedlings winter over (Raleigh, NC Z7b/8a); and they remain ornamental all season long. They begin with blooms ranging in color from white to blue and with few pinks here and there and finish off with greatly interesting seed pods. Then, in late August, hundreds of seedlings begin poking up when the rest of the garden is thinking about winding down for the year. Highly recommend planting some!

Kathy

On May 27, 2004, angelam from melbourne,
Australia wrote:

I let this plant self-seed all over my garden. They flower early and can be over and removed while other plants are still getting underway. The blue form starts a wishy-washy shade and darkens over the 2-3 days individual blooms last. I also grow them for the seed pods which can last for weeks. I've found the blue flower pods are rather non-descript, and so get removed except for the few plants I leave for seed. The white flowers have pods that are a rather attractive pinky grey colour which look quite impressive left in clumps in a perennial bed.

On Jan 4, 2001, lantana from (Zone 7a) wrote:

Grows in Heat Zones 12-2.