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Flower Full Sun Low water

Nigella

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Love-in-a-mist -- delicate blue flowers with feathery foliage and ornamental seed pods. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -5°C, nigella performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 12°C and 22°C. Plant in a spot with full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and provide minimal watering — it prefers dry conditions between drinks. Expect blooms in approximately 60-75 days. A magnet for pollinators, it supports bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects while brightening your garden.

Harvest 60-75 days
Temp Range -5°C — 28°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Nigella

Nigella takes 60-75 days to harvest. It grows best in 12–22°C with full sun and low watering. Nigella is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -5°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Nigella in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Low
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
60-75 days

Temperature Range

12-22°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 12–22°C Tolerates: -5–28°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Direct sow in fall or early spring. Self-seeds freely. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Overwatering is the most common mistake. Let soil dry out between waterings and ensure drainage is excellent.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -5°C to 28°C
  • Optimal growing: 12°C to 22°C
  • Harvest in 60-75 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Nigella is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.
  • 🌱 Nigella needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.
  • 🌱 Nigella is drought-tolerant — perfect for gardeners who tend to forget watering!

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Nigella (Nigella damascena), love-in-a-mist, thrives in well-drained, moderately fertile soil at pH 6.0–7.5. It performs best in cool temperatures (10–18°C) and is ideal for early spring and autumn gardens. Direct sow seeds on the soil surface (seeds need light to germinate) in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked, or in fall for overwintering in mild climates (zones 7+). Scatter seeds thinly over prepared soil and press gently into contact without covering. Thin to 15–25 cm spacing. Nigella has a long taproot and greatly dislikes transplanting — always direct sow where plants are to grow. Water gently at sowing and during dry spells until established; once growing, nigella is moderately drought-tolerant. No fertilizing is necessary in average soil — overly rich conditions produce leafy plants with fewer flowers. Succession sow every 3–4 weeks through spring for extended bloom.

Common Pests & Problems

Nigella is one of the most trouble-free annual flowers and rarely suffers from serious pest or disease problems. Aphids may appear on soft new growth in spring — remove by hand or apply insecticidal soap. Downy mildew can affect plants in very wet conditions, causing yellowing and a gray-white coating on undersides of leaves; improve drainage and airflow and avoid overhead watering. Stem rot at the soil line occurs in waterlogged conditions; ensure perfect drainage. The main cultural challenges are: poor germination if seeds are covered (they need light), and failure to establish if transplanted (taproot disruption is fatal). Once the plant is established, it is very self-reliant.

Harvest & Storage

Cut nigella flowers for indoor use when the blooms are fully open, making stems as long as possible. They last 5–7 days in the vase. The ornamental seed pods are the real long-term asset — harvest when pods have turned papery and tan but before they split open. Hang dry upside-down in small bunches in a warm, dry, ventilated space; dried pods last indefinitely in arrangements and wreaths. For seed saving, allow some pods to split naturally and collect seeds. Nigella seeds are widely used as a spice in South Asian cooking (called kalonji or black seed) — store in an airtight container for up to 2 years.

Popular Varieties

"Miss Jekyll" is the classic cultivar, producing semi-double flowers in a clear cornflower blue with intricate feathery bracts — one of the most reliable and beautiful annual wildflower selections. "Persian Jewels" is a popular mixed-seed strain producing flowers in blue, pink, white, and mauve — ideal for a cottage garden blend. "Alba" is a pure white selection with the same feathery foliage and inflated seed pods as the species, a striking and elegant garden plant. "Mulberry Rose" offers unusual deep rose-pink flowers that are quite different from the classic blue forms and combine well in warm-colored planting schemes.

Where to Grow Nigella

Nigella can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍

Europe

80 cities
🌏

Asia

79 cities
🌎

North America

78 cities
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Africa

39 cities
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South America

39 cities
🌊

Oceania

19 cities
🕌

Middle East

16 cities

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
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Amsterdam, NL medium
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Ankara, TR medium
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Antalya, TR medium
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Athens, GR medium
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Barcelona, ES medium
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Bari, IT medium
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Belgrade, RS medium
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Bergen, NO medium
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Berlin, DE medium
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Bilbao, ES medium
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Bologna, IT medium
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Bordeaux, FR medium
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Bratislava, SK medium
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Brussels, BE medium
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Bucharest, RO medium
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Budapest, HU medium
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Catania, IT medium
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Cologne, DE medium
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Copenhagen, DK medium
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Corfu, GR medium
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Cork, IE medium
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Dublin, IE medium
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Dubrovnik, HR medium
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Edinburgh, GB medium
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Florence, IT medium
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Frankfurt, DE medium
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Gdansk, PL medium
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Genoa, IT medium
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Glasgow, GB medium
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Gothenburg, SE medium
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Hamburg, DE medium
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Helsinki, FI medium
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Heraklion, GR medium
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Istanbul, TR medium
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Izmir, TR medium
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Krakow, PL medium
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Kyiv, UA medium
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Limassol, CY medium
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Lisbon, PT medium
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Ljubljana, SI medium
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London, GB medium
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Lyon, FR medium
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Madrid, ES medium
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Malaga, ES medium
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Marseille, FR medium
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Milan, IT medium
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Munich, DE medium
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Naples, IT medium
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Nice, FR medium
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Nicosia, CY medium
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Oslo, NO medium
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Palermo, IT medium
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Paris, FR medium
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Porto, PT medium
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Poznan, PL medium
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Prague, CZ medium
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Reykjavik, IS medium
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Riga, LV medium
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Rome, IT medium
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Seville, ES medium
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Sofia, BG medium
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Split, HR medium
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Stockholm, SE medium
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Strasbourg, FR medium
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Stuttgart, DE medium
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Tallinn, EE medium
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Thessaloniki, GR medium
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Tirana, AL medium
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Toulouse, FR medium
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Turin, IT medium
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Turku, FI medium
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Valencia, ES medium
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Valletta, MT medium
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Verona, IT medium
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Vienna, AT medium
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Vilnius, LT medium
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Warsaw, PL medium
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Zagreb, HR medium
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Zurich, CH medium
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
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Almaty, KZ medium
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Bali, ID medium
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Bandung, ID medium
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Bangalore, IN medium
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Bangkok, TH medium
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Beijing, CN medium
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Busan, KR medium
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Cebu, PH medium
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Chandigarh, IN medium
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Chengdu, CN medium
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Chennai, IN medium
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Chiang Mai, TH medium
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Chittagong, BD medium
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Chongqing, CN medium
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Coimbatore, IN medium
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Colombo, LK medium
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Da Nang, VN medium
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Dalian, CN medium
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Davao, PH medium
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Delhi, IN medium
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Dhaka, BD medium
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Dharan, NP medium
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Fukuoka, JP medium
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Galle, LK medium
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Guangzhou, CN medium
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Hangzhou, CN medium
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Hanoi, VN medium
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Harbin, CN medium
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
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Hong Kong, HK medium
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Hyderabad, IN medium
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Incheon, KR medium
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Indore, IN medium
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Islamabad, PK medium
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Jaipur, IN medium
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Jakarta, ID medium
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Jeju, KR medium
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Johor Bahru, MY medium
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Karachi, PK medium
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Kathmandu, NP medium
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Kochi, IN medium
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Kolkata, IN medium
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Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
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Kunming, CN medium
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Kyoto, JP medium
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Lahore, PK medium
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Lucknow, IN medium
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Manila, PH medium
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Mumbai, IN medium
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Nagoya, JP medium
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Nanjing, CN medium
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Nha Trang, VN medium
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Okinawa, JP medium
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Osaka, JP medium
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Pattaya, TH medium
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Penang, MY medium
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Phnom Penh, KH medium
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Pune, IN medium
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Sapporo, JP medium
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Seoul, KR medium
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Shanghai, CN medium
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Shenzhen, CN medium
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Siem Reap, KH medium
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Singapore, SG medium
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Surabaya, ID medium
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Surat, IN medium
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Taipei, TW medium
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Tashkent, UZ medium
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Tbilisi, GE medium
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Tokyo, JP medium
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Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
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Varanasi, IN medium
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Vientiane, LA medium
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Visakhapatnam, IN medium
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Wuhan, CN medium
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Xi'an, CN medium
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Xiamen, CN medium
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Yangon, MM medium
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
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Anchorage, US medium
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Atlanta, US medium
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Austin, US medium
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Baltimore, US medium
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Baton Rouge, US medium
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Boise, US medium
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Boston, US medium
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Bridgetown, BB medium
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Buffalo, US medium
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Calgary, CA medium
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Cancun, MX medium
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Charleston, US medium
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Charlotte, US medium
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Chattanooga, US medium
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Chicago, US medium
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Denver, US medium
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Des Moines, US medium
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Detroit, US medium
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Edmonton, CA medium
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El Paso, US medium
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Fargo, US medium
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Fresno, US medium
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Guadalajara, MX medium
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Halifax, CA medium
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Hartford, US medium
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Havana, CU medium
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Honolulu, US medium
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Houston, US medium
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Jacksonville, US medium
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Kansas City, US medium
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Kingston, JM medium
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Knoxville, US medium
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Las Vegas, US medium
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Little Rock, US medium
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Los Angeles, US medium
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Louisville, US medium
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Lubbock, US medium
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Madison, US medium
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Memphis, US medium
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Mexico City, MX medium
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Miami, US medium
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Milwaukee, US medium
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Minneapolis, US medium
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Monterrey, MX medium
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Montreal, CA medium
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Nashville, US medium
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New Orleans, US medium
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New York, US medium
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Oaxaca, MX medium
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Oklahoma City, US medium
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Omaha, US medium
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Ottawa, CA medium
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Panama City, PA medium
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Phoenix, US medium
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Pittsburgh, US medium
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Portland, US medium
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Puebla, MX medium
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Quebec City, CA medium
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Raleigh, US medium
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Richmond, US medium
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Sacramento, US medium
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Salt Lake City, US medium
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San Diego, US medium
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San Francisco, US medium
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San Jose, CR medium
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Santo Domingo, DO medium
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Saskatoon, CA medium
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Savannah, US medium
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Seattle, US medium
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Spokane, US medium
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St. Louis, US medium
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Tampa, US medium
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Toronto, CA medium
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Tucson, US medium
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Vancouver, CA medium
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Victoria, CA medium
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Winnipeg, CA medium
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
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Accra, GH medium
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Addis Ababa, ET medium
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Algiers, DZ medium
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Antananarivo, MG medium
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Arusha, TZ medium
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Bamako, ML medium
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Bloemfontein, ZA medium
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Cairo, EG medium
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Cape Town, ZA medium
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Casablanca, MA medium
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Dakar, SN medium
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Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
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Douala, CM medium
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Durban, ZA medium
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Entebbe, UG medium
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Fez, MA medium
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Freetown, SL medium
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Harare, ZW medium
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Johannesburg, ZA medium
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Kampala, UG medium
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Kigali, RW medium
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Kinshasa, CD medium
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Lagos, NG medium
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Libreville, GA medium
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Lilongwe, MW medium
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Lome, TG medium
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Luanda, AO medium
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Lusaka, ZM medium
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Maputo, MZ medium
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Marrakech, MA medium
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Mombasa, KE medium
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Nairobi, KE medium
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Ouagadougou, BF medium
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Port Louis, MU medium
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Pretoria, ZA medium
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Tunis, TN medium
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Windhoek, NA medium
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Zanzibar, TZ medium
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
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Asuncion, PY medium
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Barranquilla, CO medium
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Belem, BR medium
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Bogota, CO medium
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Brasilia, BR medium
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Buenos Aires, AR medium
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Cali, CO medium
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Campinas, BR medium
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Caracas, VE medium
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Cartagena, CO medium
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Concepcion, CL medium
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Cordoba, AR medium
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Curitiba, BR medium
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Cusco, PE medium
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Fortaleza, BR medium
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Georgetown, GY medium
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Goiania, BR medium
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Guayaquil, EC medium
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La Paz, BO medium
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Lima, PE medium
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Manaus, BR medium
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Medellin, CO medium
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Mendoza, AR medium
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Montevideo, UY medium
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Paramaribo, SR medium
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Port of Spain, TT medium
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Porto Alegre, BR medium
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Quito, EC medium
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Recife, BR medium
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Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
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Rosario, AR medium
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Salvador, BR medium
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Santa Cruz, BO medium
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Santiago, CL medium
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Sao Paulo, BR medium
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Sucre, BO medium
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Trujillo, PE medium
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Valparaiso, CL medium
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
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Alice Springs, AU medium
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Auckland, NZ medium
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Brisbane, AU medium
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Cairns, AU medium
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Canberra, AU medium
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Christchurch, NZ medium
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Darwin, AU medium
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Dunedin, NZ medium
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Gold Coast, AU medium
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Hamilton, NZ medium
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Hobart, AU medium
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Melbourne, AU medium
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Noumea, NC medium
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Perth, AU medium
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Suva, FJ medium
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Sydney, AU medium
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Townsville, AU medium
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Wellington, NZ medium
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
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Amman, JO medium
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Baghdad, IQ medium
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Beirut, LB medium
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Doha, QA medium
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Dubai, AE medium
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Erbil, IQ medium
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Jeddah, SA medium
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Kuwait City, KW medium
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Manama, BH medium
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Muscat, OM medium
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Riyadh, SA medium
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Sana'a, YE medium
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Tabriz, IR medium
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Tehran, IR medium
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Tel Aviv, IL medium
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When should I plant nigella in my city?

The best time to plant nigella depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 12°C and 22°C. Since nigella is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow nigella in winter?

Yes, nigella is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -5°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Nigella Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Nigella seeds and starter plants online.

Shop on Burpee Search on Amazon

People Also Search For

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Frequently Asked Questions about Nigella

When should I plant nigella?

The best time to plant nigella depends on your local climate. Nigella grows best in temperatures between 12°C and 22°C (can tolerate -5°C to 28°C). Nigella is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can nigella grow in tropical climates?

Nigella is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 12°C and 22°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does nigella take to grow?

Nigella typically takes 60-75 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and low watering. Direct sow in fall or early spring. Self-seeds freely. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Overwatering is the most common mistake. Let soil dry out between waterings and ensure drainage is excellent.

Find the Best Time to Plant Nigella

See the planting calendar for Nigella in these popular cities:

London, GBMumbai, INNew York, USParis, FRSingapore, SGSydney, AUTokyo, JPToronto, CA

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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