Nigella (Nigella damascena) earns the common name "love-in-a-mist" because of the tangle of ferny, fennel-like foliage that forms a mist around the flowers. Once you see N. damascena in bloom, you will always recognize it by its unique mist of airy bracts and foliage.

The foliage of Nigella damascena plant is ferny, the flowers are fluffy, and the seed pods are intriguing. Best known for the vivid blue-blossom variety, love-in-a-mist also has cultivars that bloom in purples, pinks, and white. Plant these adaptable flowers in the spring or even in the fall. The plants grow to nearly 2 feet and bloom for several weeks, starting in the late spring. When they resow, you'll have blooms through fall.