Growing Ammi Majus from Seed: A Quick Guide for Beginners

Ammi Majus, also known as Bishop’s Flower, Queen Anne’s Lace, false bishop’s Weed, lace flower, but the word, and many more.is a beautiful and elegant flowering plant. Because of its unique look, it is quite famous among florists and floral artists. Ammi Majus is an annual plant that dies within a year or two. This plant is mostly found in Europe and America. But if you have the seed of Ammi Majus and keep them in certain conditions, then it can be grown anywhere.

In this guide, we will discuss the process of growing Ammi Majus from scratch. Also, we will learn What Ammi Majus is and its benefits. How to prepare seeds before sowing? How to cultivate them and grow them into healthy and beautiful flowers?

Let’s dig in and find the secrets to growing a beautiful plant called Ammi Majus.

What Are Ammi Majus and Its Benefits?

To know how to grow Ammi Majus, we must know what Ammi Majus is. So, Ammi Majus is an annual plant that belongs to the Apiaceae family. They are native to the Mediterranean region but got famous all around the world because of their beautiful blooms. They grow up to 2-3 feet, fully covered with small, white umbrella-shaped flowers.

Instead of looking beautiful, they have other medicinal benefits. Also, Ammi Majus is rich in linear furanocoumarins. This chemical is used in resolving many diseases like Vitiligo, Psoriasis, etc. Apart from this, Ammi Majus also have anticancer, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties.

It also attracts a lot of bees and butterflies when it is fully bloomed, and the seeds remaining afterward can be fed to the birds, for example, gold flinches.

How to Grow Ammi Majus?

• If you want a healthy plant, then you must need a healthy seed. For that, go to a high-quality shop that provides fresh, viable seed that has a high germination rate.
• Directly sowing the seed may not be a good decision because putting it directly in the soil may not give effective results.
• To prevent that, we need to perform a process called stratification that breaks seed dormancy and enhances the germination rate of the seed.
• To stratify, we must keep the seed in a damp paper or a container that is slightly moistened.
• Seal it and keep it in a refrigerator for around two weeks.
• This process is necessary to increase the germination rate of Ammi Majus seed. After two weeks, when the seed is ready for germination, start preparing for sowing the seeds,
• Put the seeds on a tray or pot 1 inch apart, now either put them under grow light or indirect light to provide them consistent and gentle illumination.
• Remember to spray some water on the soil just to maintain the moisture. But do not overdo it, as excess moisture may lead to fungus infection.
• Typically germination can occur in 10-14 days, but if it does not, then do not panic and be patient as sometimes days vary due to climatic conditions. 

Where to Plant Ammi Majus?

To prepare the planting area, we must take care of where we plant the seedlings. The place must be neat and clean, with fertile soil, i.e., not so heavy and poorly drained, receiving full to partial sunlight. Sow the seeds at a distance of 1 inch.

If the place you plan to plant Ammi Majus is full of unwanted grass and weeds, then remove it and make the place neat and clean. It would be better if you used some organic matter like compost and rotted manure to increase the fertility of the soil.

Though Ammi Majus can adjust in many soil types, if you use fertile soil, then the growth will be much better. If the soil is less or heavily fertile, then the usage of sand or perlite can help in increasing the fertility of the soil. Point to be noted that Ammi Majus need slightly alkaline soil. So you can conduct the pH test if necessary.

Sowing of Ammi Majus Seed

After germinating seedlings, another process is sowing the seeds. Below are the important factors that must be kept in mind to sow the seed:

• Timing: The best time to sow the little seedling is when the seedling leaves are slightly developed and ready to face the outside temperature. A cloudy day or late afternoon is a decent time to plant the seed.
• Digging Holes: Dig the holes that are slightly larger than the root ball. Also, leave a distance of 12-18 inches among the Ammi Majus so that they can get air circulation.
• Transplanting: Now, this is a very important step, as the seedlings are very vulnerable and require a lot of care to remove from the container and place them into holes you have prepared.
• Other factors: Water the plant regularly but just to make the soil moist and avoid overwatering. As it can cause root rot and other diseases. Also, add an organic mulch to the soil, like straw or shredded bark in the soil so that they can maintain moisture in the soil.

Caring Tips For Ammi Majus

Proper health care is important to any plant in this world, including Ammi Majus. If you want to take care of Ammi Majus seedlings, then pay attention to the following factors:

• Watering the seedlings daily is necessary for the soil to be moist but do not make the soil water excessive. You can either use a water can or a spray nozzle. To water the seedlings.
• Ammi Majus are plants that need sunlight daily for six hours. Ammi Majus needs full sun to partial shade for at least 6 hours. If you have kept your plant indoors, then keep the seedlings at a sunny window, or you can even use grow light.
• Don’t forget to use fertilizers to provide proper nutrients to the plants.
• When seedlings become crowded, then you can use a process called thinning which thins the plants to maintain the proper spacing so that the plants can have sufficient access to water, nutrients, and air.
• Always remember to watch your plants and check if they have any signs of pests or diseases.

Managing Pests and Diseases

Though Ammi Majus is a pest and disease-resistant plant, it avoids any risk and prevents the plants from pests and diseases. Regularly check your plant and take immediate action if any of the possibilities like aphids, powdery mildew, leaf spot, or any other thing is seen.

Pest problems can be solved by some organic methods, like spraying a mixture of water and insecticidal soap on the parts where the pest can be seen. Also, you can release some friendly insects, for example, ladybugs which can help in controlling the pest population.

To avoid fungal diseases, the first thing you can do is maintain the distance between the plants. Removal of infected leaves and applying a fungicide can also be helpful.

When to Harvest Ammi Majus?

Ammim Majus reaches its peak blooming after 12-14 weeks of germination. Remember that harvesting flowers at the right time is good for their longevity and good life. Make sure to harvest flowers when they are fully bloomed, not after when they turn brown or start to shep pollen.

Gather the cut flowers in a bucket full of water, and remove their foliage. Now you can make a floral arrangement or make them a dry flower, make whatever your wish.

Conclusion

Ammi Majus is a beautiful plant that can be grown anywhere if certain measures, like monitoring and watering the plant and taking care of them regularly, are followed. If you want to grow a healthy plant of Ammi Majus, then you must follow the above-mentioned guidelines.

The beauty of Ammi Majus will enhance the grace of your garden only when the ideal growing conditions, proper attention, and care are given to the plant in the growing process.

With its lacy white blooms and delicate foliage, Ammi Majus makes your garden beautiful, attracts pollinators, and provides a beautiful cut to your floral arrangements. Make sure to enjoy the entire journey of growing these beautiful flowers.

Have you ever seen an Ammi Majus? If yes, then what feature of Ammi Majus you like the most? Do let us know in the comment section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ammi Majus Cause Skin Irritation?

It can irritate some people. Still, I would suggest wearing garden gloves when you are tackling Ammi Majus unless and until you are cleared.

Is Ammi Majus a Perennial Plant?

No, Ammi Majus are not perennial plants. It appears to be one, but it is a hardy annual plant. That means it does in and year after growing till maturity and producing seeds.

Can Ammi Majus Be Used for Dry Flower Arrangements?

Yes, Ammi Majus can be used for dry flower arrangements. If you make a dry flower, hang Ammi Majus upside down until it dries. Make sure to dry the white flower in a dark place, as it may turn brown.

Are Ammi Majus and Ammi Visnaga the Same?

Ammi Majus and Ammi Visnaga are not the same but quite similar to each other. As they belong to the same species called Ammi. They are quite similar in looks also. Ammi Majus has a wispy white lacy flower which is similar to Queen Anne’s lace. Whereas Ammi Visnaga has more solid and big flowers compared to Ammi Majus.