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Dill Facts

Dill Facts
Dill is a type of herbaceous plant that belongs to the celery family. This plant is native to South Europe and West Asia, but it can be found around the world today. Dill was cultivated and used as culinary herb in the ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Besides in human diet, dill was used as currency in the past. Today, dill represents one of the most widely used spices of European and Asian cuisine. Dill grows best in areas with long, warm summers. It requires fertile, well-drained soil and full sun for successful development.
Interesting Dill Facts:
Dill has single, smooth, hollow stem that can reach 16 to 24 inches in height.
Dill develops numerous feathery, thread-like leaves with pointed leaflets. Leaves are light green colored, soft and alternately arranged on the branches.
Dill produces miniature, white or yellow flowers, arranged in terminal umbel (type of flat-topped inflorescence). Dill blooms during the mid-summer.
Dill and fennel can cross-pollinate when they are planted close to one another (these two plants easily exchange pollen). Created hybrid doesn't have culinary value (newly produced plant is flavorless).
Dill produces numerous miniature elongated seed that can be straight or curved.
Dill propagates via seed. Under appropriate conditions seed is able to germinate even after 3 to 10 years of dormancy.
Dill is rich source of dietary fibers, vitamins C, B9 and B2 and minerals such as manganese, iron and calcium.
All parts of plant are edible, but people usually consume leaves, flowers and seed.
Fresh leaves are often added to soups, salad dressings, yogurts and dishes made of fish and chicken. Flowers and leaves are used in the manufacture of pickles. Seed is used as flavoring agent of vinegar and as an ingredient of certain types of bread and dishes made of fish.
Dill can be also consumed in the form of herbal tea.
Oil extracted from seed has application in the cosmetic industry where it is used in the manufacture of soaps.
Dill can be used in treatment of digestive problems, lack of appetite and jaundice. It reduces flatulence and can be used as a cure for hiccups. Dill stimulates lactation in breastfeeding women and alleviates colic in babies. It can be also used to calm babies and help them fall asleep during teething.
During the medieval period, people were using dill hanged on the doorway to keep witches on a safe distance from their homes. Dill was also popular and often used ingredient of magic potions in the past.
Ancient Greeks were using dill for the production of perfumes. Greek athletes were using tonic made of dill to improve tonus of their muscles.
Dill is an annual plant, which means that is completes its life cycle in one year.


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