Dill

Anethum gravolens, also known as dill, is a spice plant of the genus Anethum in the Apiaceae family (umbelliferae) and grows to over 1 m in height. Its original distribution area is in the Near East, but today the plant is cultivated worldwide. Cylindrical, grooved stem, three to four pinnately lobed leaves, yolk-yellow flowers, flowering time June to August. Broadly elliptical, almost round, flat and narrowly winged split fruit, which splits into two egg-shaped to oval, yellow-brown to dark brown sub-fruits when ripe.

The essential oil extracted from the dill fruits is used in stomach schnapps and liqueurs to aid digestion.

Herbal medicine: Used for centuries in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effect.

Food: Kitchen spice, the dill tips are used fresh or dried. Dill herb is used to make canned fish and pickles, dill leaves and dill cones as a spice, for example when pickling cucumbers, dill fruits for seasoning, have a digestive and flatulence-promoting effect.

Dill is an annual and herbaceous plant that grows to a height of between 30 and 75 cm, rarely up to 120 cm. The plant has a strong aromatic scent and is light green to green-turquoise in color. The stems of the plant grow upright and branch out at the top. In contrast to the upper leaves, the lower leaves are strongly dissected and larger.

The large inflorescences consist of 15 to 30-rayed double umbels, rarely up to 50-rayed. They have a diameter of between 5 and 15 cm with up to 25 small umbels (diameter between 3 and 5 cm) and 15 to 25 flowers. The fruits usually ripen between July and September.

Anethum gravolens (dill) is the parent plant of Anethi fructus

Cosmetics: Dill extracts are used in cosmetic formulations under the INCI name Peucedanum graveolens extract. They have a stimulating effect on the skin.

Phototoxic reactions (furocoumarins!) or contact allergic reactions may occur on contact.

Caution: Pollen allergy to mugwort or birch may cause immediate type reactions of the mucous membrane in the oropharynx.

1. https://pflanzen.fnr.de/industriepflanzen/arzneipflanzen/pflanzen-datenbank
2. Goodarzi MT, Khodadadi I, Tavilani H, Abbasi Oshaghi E. The Role of Anethum graveolens L. (Dill) in the Management of Diabetes. J Trop Med. 2016;2016:1098916. doi: 10.1155/2016/1098916

3. Montag A (2023) Plants and skin. Springer-Verlag Ltd. S. 445-448