Carum carvi

A biennial herb reaching 0.6 m tall and 0.3 m wide, frost-hardy with hermaphroditic flowers blooming June–July and seeds ripening July–August. Self-fertile and bee-pollinated. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage; grows in mildly acidic to basic pH. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun but prefers moist conditions.

Description

A herb. The plant takes two years to grow then flower. It is an erect herb. It grows about 40 cm high. The root is thick, long and tapering like a carrot. It has a pale colour. The leaves are twice divided. The upper leaves are smaller and less divided. The leaves are pale green. The flowers are white. The fruit are oblong and narrow. They usually have distinct ribs. These dark brown fruit are 5-6 mm long. Caraway is more curved and darker in colour than cumin.

Edible Uses

The seed can be eaten raw or cooked and has a spicy flavour, commonly used to flavour confectionery, bread, salads, and vegetables. It is high in protein and fat. Per 100g, the seed contains 333 calories, 10g water, 20g protein, 14.5g fat, 50g carbohydrate, 12.5g fibre, 6g ash, 689mg calcium, 568mg phosphorus, 16.2mg iron, 258mg magnesium, 17mg sodium, 1351mg potassium, 5.5mg zinc, 363 IU vitamin A, 0.383mg thiamine, 0.379mg riboflavin, and 3.61mg niacin. Seeds are often chewed after a meal to freshen the breath and relieve heartburn following rich food. An essential oil from the seed is used to flavour ice creams, candy, and soft drinks, and is an essential ingredient of the liqueur kümmel. The root is cooked and used as a vegetable in the manner of parsnips — stronger in flavour but considered delicious by many. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or used as a flavouring in soups; they have a mild parsley-dill flavour and are far less spicy than the seeds. Older leaves can be cooked as a spinach. The crushed seeds can be brewed into a tea that has a soothing effect on digestion.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are used to flavour cakes, bread and biscuits. They can also be used in vegetable dishes, pickles and coleslaw. They have a licorice flavour. They are used to flavour various alcoholic drinks. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The young leaves are used to flavour soups, meats, cheese and salads. The tender leaves and shoots are cooked as a vegetable. The young roots can be cooked and eaten.

Medicinal Uses

Caraway has a long history of use as a household remedy, particularly for digestive complaints, where its antispasmodic action soothes the digestive tract and its carminative action relieves bloating from wind and improves appetite. It is frequently added to laxative medicines to prevent griping. The seed is antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, galactogogue, and stimulant. It can be chewed raw for near-immediate relief of indigestion or made into infusions. The seed is also used in treating bronchitis and features in cough remedies, being particularly appropriate for children. It is said to increase breast milk production in nursing mothers. Seed should be harvested when fully ripe, then dried and stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. The essential oil extracted from the seed shares similar properties. A tea brewed from the seeds is a pleasant stomachic and carminative, used historically to treat flatulent colic. In Tibetan medicine, the seed is considered to have an acrid taste and a heating potency, used to treat failing vision and loss of appetite. The German Commission E Monographs approve Carum carvi for dyspeptic complaints.

Known Hazards

Caraway is said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine. Excessive intake can lead to kidney and liver damage

Distribution

A temperate plant. A hardy plant. It needs a sunny, sheltered position. In Hobart Botanical gardens. It grows in Nepal from 2500-4500 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 3-10. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Asia, Austria, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, East Africa, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Europe*, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Himalayas, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indochina, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, North Africa, North America, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Prussia, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Thailand, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine, USA, West Indies, Yugoslavia,

Cultivation

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil as long as it is not too wet in winter. Prefers a moist soil in full sun or partial shade. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.8 to 7.6. Caraway is a well-known herb that has been cultivated for its culinary and medicinal uses since ancient times. It is frequently cultivated in the modern herb garden and sometimes also commercially, there are some named varieties. Plants growing in more northerly latitudes and also in full sun are richer in essential oils and therefore more aromatic. Plants strongly resent root disturbance. They often self-sow freely when in a suitable location. This species is deep rooted and is a good plant for breaking up the sub-soil on heavy, wet land. It dislikes growing near fennel or wormwood but is a good companion for most plants, especially those that are shallow-rooted. The flowers attract parasitic wasps to the garden, these prey on aphids and so help to reduce populations of insect pests.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer or early autumn. It can also be sown in March or April in situ, though in areas with cool summers plants may not produce a crop of ripe seed. Plants are highly sensitive to root disturbance and should not be transplanted.

Other Uses

An essential oil extracted from the seed is used in perfumery, for scenting soap, and as a parasiticide. Twenty-five kilos of seed yield approximately one kilo of essential oil; the essential oil yield from plants cultivated in Poland reaches up to 10.33% of the seed. Caraway is also used as a breath freshener.

Production

It is harvested in the very early morning before seed heads shatter. Complete seed heads are stored for 10 days to dry out before threshing.

Other Information

A common culinary herb. It is grown as a food plant. It is also sold in local markets.

Notes

There are 30 Carum species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Alcaravia, Anis, Carvi, Cemen, Chir, Chhonyo, Comi, Comino, Go-snod, Gunyun, Frenk kimyonu, Jangli jira, Jeera, Jenuju, Jintan, Jira, Kala jeera, Kaluduru, Karawya, Karuwai, Karve, Karwij, Karvi, Kemenmag, Kemeny, Kim, Kimine, Kitik, Kmien, Kmin komeny, Kmyn, Koomen, Koomlid, Koru, Kosnyot, Kummel, Kuo nie, Makozira, Navadna kumina, Qimon, Rasca, Shia jeera, Shia-jira, Shimai-shembu, Shimpaisapu, Sushavi, Tmin, Wilayati-zirah, Yuan-sui, Zera, Zira, Zirah-siah, Zire

References (90)

• Abbet, C., et al, 2014, Ethnobotanical survey on wild alpine food plants in Lower and Central Valais (Switzerland). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151 (2014) 624–634
• Aipeisova S.A., et al, 2019, Wild useful herbs of Aktobe Region (Western Kazakhstan). Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 9(3), 329-331
• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 107
• Battacharyya, A., 1991, Ethnobotanical Observations in the Ladakh Region of Northern Jammu and Kashmir State, India. Economic Botany, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 305-308 (As Carum carvi forma gracile)
• Bhatia, H., et al, 2018, Traditionally used wild edible plants of district Udhampur, J&K, India. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:73

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