Dill

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a feathery, aromatic annual grown for both its fresh, tangy leaves and its equally useful seeds. Tall and airy with yellow umbel flowers, dill is as much at home tucked into a perennial border as it is in a dedicated herb bed — and it's a favorite host plant for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

Growing Dill

Dill grows quickly from direct-sown seed and doesn't transplant well thanks to its long taproot, so it's best sown right where it will grow. It bolts fast in hot weather, sending up flower heads that turn the leaves bitter, so successive sowings every few weeks keep fresh leafy growth coming through summer. Once established, dill self-seeds generously and often reappears on its own the following year.

Culinary Uses

Fresh dill leaves — often called dill weed to distinguish them from the seed — bring a bright, tangy flavor to fish, potatoes, cucumber salads, and the classic pairing with sour cream or yogurt. Dill seed, harvested from the mature flower heads, has a stronger, more concentrated flavor and is the backbone of dill pickles, along with pickling spice blends.