Ajwain

Ajwain may be an unfamiliar word, but the ajwain plant carries an herbal punch reminiscent of many more familiar spices and herbs.

Ajwain flower head (Bames24) CC BY-SA 3.0

Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) is an annual that hails from India, North Africa, and the Middle East. Also known as ajowan, bishop’s weed, carom seeds, or ajowan caraway, ajwain is an umbellifer, along with carrots, dill, and celery. People have been eating ajwain leaves and fruit for a very long time, but many Americans are unfamiliar with this attractive edible.

Ajwain schizocarps (Sanjay Acharya) CC BY-SA 3.0

Ajwain fruit

If you were to look at a handful of ajwain fruit, you would swear they were seeds. Actually, they are schizocarps. Carrots, parsnips, cheeseweeds, and hibiscus all produce schizocarps. Schizocarps are tiny dried fruits that surround seeds.

Ajwain flavor

Ajwain is an overachiever, when it comes to flavor. It is described as being similar to oregano and anise, with strong overtones of thyme. Apparently, these fruits are quite pungent - a little goes a long way. Because they are so strong, they are rarely used raw. In most cases, the schizocarps are dry-roasted or fried in clarified butter, before being added to curries or sprinkled over bread. The leaves are used in chutneys.

Ajwain flowers and leaves (Isabel14) Public Domain

How to grow ajwain

Ajwain is generally grown from seeds, though you can use cuttings. To grow from seed, plant 1/4-inch deep in rich, potting soil, or scatter on top of the soil. Use a mister to water, to avoid washing all the seeds into a corner of the pot. Mist daily for a week or two, until germination occurs. Once the first true leaves emerge, you can transplant the seedling into a larger container. [I couldn't find any free images of ajwain plants, so you will have to wait until mine get started...]

To propagate ajwain from cuttings, take stems that are a few inches long and remove all but the upper two sets of leaves. Bury the stem in potting soil, with the leaves exposed ands water regularly. Before you know it, new roots will emerge. Ajwain’s feather-like leaves grow on many branched stems, creating a lovely container plant. Because it is so pungent, most insects are not interested in ajwain plants.

Ajwain prefers partial sun or partial shade. Full sun can be too much for these plants. And keeping the soil moist but not soggy will keep these plants healthy and productive.

If you happen to have a tummy ache, ajwain seeds can help relieve some of that discomfort.