Dill
Anethum graveolens L.
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an aromatic herb of the carrot family with fine thread-like leaves and a mild anise aroma; used to flavour fish soup and fish cakes, while the seeds are a spice that aids digestion.
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DillDill plant
Dill
Dill
Dill
Dill
DillDillDill plantOverview
Dill is an annual herb 40–120 cm tall with smooth, slender, branched stems; its leaves are divided into fine, thread-like bluish-green segments with a mild anise-like aroma. Small yellow flowers form large umbels, and the oval, ridged dry fruit contains aromatic seeds.
Dill originated around the Mediterranean and South Asia and is now grown worldwide; in Vietnam it is a familiar herb for fish soup, fish cakes and crab soup. Young leaves are eaten raw or added near the end of cooking to keep the aroma; the seeds are toasted as a spice and used in pickles, and dill essential oil (rich in carvone) is used in food and medicine, traditionally to aid digestion and relieve bloating.
Life cycle
From seed to productSeed & germination
The plant is propagated mainly by **seed**: sow fresh or pre-treated seed in loose, moist soil and keep it evenly damp; germination follows within a few weeks.
Seedling & growth
Seedlings establish, forming leaves and roots; growth rate depends on light and moisture.
Flowering
The plant blooms with **small yellow umbel flowers, April–July**; pollination is by insects and wind.
Fruiting & harvest
After each cut the plant regrows young leaves from stems and shoots; **leaves picked before flowering, seed gathered as umbels ripen May–August**.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Mediterranean30%
- South Asia25%
- Vietnam15%
- Others30%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- CarvoneMain aroma40%
- LimoneneSecondary oil30%
- FlavonoidsAntioxidant30%
Uses
- Leaves flavour fish soup, fish cakes, crab soup
- Toasted seeds as spice and in pickles
- Essential oil aids digestion, relieves bloating
Properties
- Taste
- Mild anise-like aroma
- Value
- Rich in carvone oil
Habitat & conservation
Cool, temperate climate; friable soil; plenty of sun.
Conservation
Cultivated worldwide; not threatened.
References
- 1Kew Science – Plants of the World Online: Anethum graveolens — Kew (Plants of the World Online), 2026
- 2Wikipedia – Dill — Wikipedia, 2026