Angelica "Hugh Jumble" (Ferula Melitensis)

Description

High on hot rocky hillsides on the island of Malta grow these impressive and unusual giants. When we first encountered these members of the 'umbelliferae' family, to which cow parsley, angelica, and similar plants belong, a friend remarked that compared to their relatively medium height, they had astonishingly huge umbels (or "heads") of massive seeds! We tried to identify them without success, and as most of the plant had withered, we thought they resembled an angelica. And so, the temporary name stuck! Angelica "Huge Umbel" (Hugh Jumble). And they also produced the most enormous seeds of any plant in this family we have ever seen, and we cultivate a very large number of the umbelliferae family here. Grown here in Devon, they make impressive plants, and amusing and intriguing dried flowers too! Please let us know if you can name them......Please note they are not edible. UPDATE! we have been advised by a knowledgeable customer that there is a simple reason we did not know what this lovely plant is. It was only "discovered" and named as recently as December 2018. It was finally identified that this Maltese plant, the “Ferla” (or Ferula) is endemic to the Maltese Islands, and given a new scientific name – Ferula melitensis. The Maltese plant is more robust than the Common Giant Fennel (Ferula communis) because it has had to evolve and adapt to the Islands’ conditions, and the isolation from North Africa. It also has a thicker stem, darker foliage, larger and denser inflorescences, and larger seeds (!!!) Further update: A customer, and ex resident of Malta Paul Galea, has advised that these seeds very rarely experience cold to assist their germination, as is often the case for germination of many umbelliferous species.

Sowing Advice

Sow seeds IMMEDIATELY you receive them, at any time of the year, before they will germinate. Cover approximately 1cm deep with compost. Keep the seed tray moist in a bright area, and do not discard however long they take to appear. These fresh seeds may be very slow to germinate but do not use any excessive artificial heat in an attempt to germinate them as it may simply disrupt their germination mechanism.

Key Facts