Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Trachyspermum ammi

Ajowan · Ethiopian-caraway · Bishop's-weed · Ajowan Caraway

Family ApiaceaeGenus Trachyspermum

A flat umbel of tiny white flowers with red-brown centers, carried on fine green spokes.
FlowerBames24CC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
annualPlants of the World Online
Habit
Annual, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
WhiteRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
Afghanistan, Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, Iran, Iraq and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Ajwain's seed-like fruits smell of thyme because they contain thymol, but taste of anise and oregano. Wikipedia: Ajwain

Two sources report three treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 29, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 28, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 730 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 2 years from start to sowing. Then 8 days to germinate.

70% germination in 4–8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Trachyspermum p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Trachyspermum (Apiaceae). T. ammi DS 2 y germ. 70D(70% in 4-8 d) and DS 3 y 70D(60% in 4-10 d). This is nearly as high as seeds DS 0-1 y.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Trachyspermum p. 65. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 27, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 26, 2024.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1095 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 years from start to sowing. Then 10 days to germinate.

60% germination in 4–10 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Trachyspermum p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Trachyspermum (Apiaceae). T. ammi DS 2 y germ. 70D(70% in 4-8 d) and DS 3 y 70D(60% in 4-10 d). This is nearly as high as seeds DS 0-1 y.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Trachyspermum p. 65. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 26, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 10 days to germinate.

85% germination in 4–10 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Trachyspermum p. 81Public domain
Show the original text
Trachyspermum (Apiaceae). T. ammi germ. 70D(85% in 4-10 d) in either 70D or 70L. There was littie change after Ty DS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Trachyspermum p. 81. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page