# Dill (*Anethum graveolens*)

Dill is a fragrant herb with feathery leaves that smells like a mix of parsley and anise. It is often used in cooking to add flavor to dishes like pickles, salads, and soups.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens, Farms
- **Also known as:** Anethum graveolens, Dill Weed

![Dill](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/541962362/medium.jpg)

Photo: Matt Lavin, bazı hakları saklıdır, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/541962362)

## Appearance

The Dill has delicate, feathery green leaves on slender hollow stems, topped with flat clusters of tiny yellow flowers. Its distinctive airy texture and bright green color help it stand out in a garden bed, looking almost cloud-like.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Apiales
- **Family:** Apiaceae
- **Genus:** Anethum

## Interesting facts

- Dill has been used for over 5,000 years, even found in ancient Egyptian tombs!
- Dill is a super speedy grower, often ready to harvest in less than two months!
- Its name comes from a Norse word meaning 'to lull,' possibly because it was used to help babies sleep.
- Roman gladiators believed dill brought good luck and rubbed it on their bodies before battles.

## Special abilities

- **Sunlight Harvester:** Dill can turn sunlight into energy using its wide, feathery leaves, helping it grow quickly and produce seeds.
- **Bug Buddy:** Dill releases a special scent that attracts helpful insects like ladybugs, which protect it from pests.
- **Seed Scatterer:** Dill produces many tiny, light seeds that can be easily carried by the wind to new places to sprout.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen.
- **Shelter:** Convergent Lady Beetle (*Hippodamia convergens*) — hides and lays eggs on dill.
- **Eaten by:** [Black Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-swallowtail) (*Papilio polyxenes*) — caterpillars feed on its foliage.
- **Eaten by:** Beet Armyworm (*Spodoptera exigua*) — larvae consume its leaves.

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Spice](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spice): This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

## Collections

- [Herbs](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/herbs)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Dill plants are safe to touch and smell, but be careful around sharp gardening tools.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Dill?

Compare leaf shape and arrangement, stem structure, flowers and growth habit. Some poisonous plants look a lot like kitchen herbs, so looks alone never prove a plant is safe to eat. Herb Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Dill?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Dill spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Dill?

0.2-0.5 cm

### When does Dill bloom?

Summer

### Is Dill edible?

Yes

### Is Dill toxic?

None

### What is Dill's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Dill: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dill)