Nuts
Fennel Flower Seed
A tier
Fennel flower seed is an older English garden name for Nigella sativa (and related ornamental nigellas), pointing to the plant’s delicate flowers rather than true fennel (Foeniculum). Culinary seed is still the black teardrop kalonji type when correctly Sativa. Ornamental Love-in-a-mist (N. damascena) is a different species—do not assume all “fennel flower” garden seed is food-grade sativa. Buy culinary nigella for cooking.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
BreadCulinary if SativaSpecialty
Traits
Black SeedConfirm SativaFlower ReferenceHerbalHistoricalHistorical English NameNamed for FlowerNot True Fennel
History
GB
English herbals used fennel flower for nigella plants.
Garden literature mixed ornamental and culinary nigella names.
Fennel flower seed appeared in some spice glossaries for sativa.
Historians clarified fennel flower versus fennel seed confusion.