Ammi Majus
( AM - mee MAY - juss )
At-A-Glance InformationAlso called Bishop's Lace or Laceflower, this annual flowering plant grows in full sun or partial shade, and needs moderate to regular water. The sap of this plant may cause a rash if contact is made with skin, and it is toxic to dogs and cats. It will attract butterflies and beneficial insects to your yard. Native to southern Europe, Turkey, and North Africa, this flower is a relative of Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) and belongs to the family Apiaceae. Stems are slender and branched, and produce dome-shaped clusters of tiny white flowers. Great for dried and fresh bouquets and meadow plantings, and is a common addition to lists of plants with medicinal benefits. These can be grown in all zones. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map
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Caring for Ammi Majus
Bishop's Lace plants tolerate many different soil conditions, but do best in moist, fertile, well-draining soil. Seeds should be sown in a sunny or lightly shaded area of your garden in springtime. they like to receive at least six hours of sun each day. Blooms will appear over a long season, from early summer through fall. Cut blooms in the morning for arrangements, while most of the flowers are open. These are easy-to-grow plants and do not need pruning or fertilizing.
Propagation
The best way to propagate Bishop's Lace is by seed. You will need a pot or tray filled with potting soil, a spray bottle and a fork. Once you have gathered all of your materials, follow the instructions below.
- Harvest your seeds. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Harvest as many as you can, and plant all of them in your tray. They will probably not all sow, and the ones that do will be of varying characteristics, especially with hybrid-variety seeds. The more seeds you plant, the more chances you will have to get the resulting Abutilon you want.
- Barely cover the seeds with planting medium (about 3/4 inch down) and keep the soil moist but not wet by spraying it with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home, either outdoors or inside as a house plant. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new Abutilon.
Problems and Pests
Ammi majus plants are not bothered by diseases or pests.
Gallery
Videos
How to grow Ammi majus in your garden.
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At about 3:45, this video provides an overview of Ammi majus.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 150, Ammi majus (Bishop's Lace)
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