Cephalaria syriaca aka Syrian Cephalaria
Taxonomy ID: 20290
Cephalaria syriaca is an annual in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. Common names include Makhobeli and Syrian cephalaria. An older scientific name is Scabiosa syriaca. Its native range runs from the eastern Mediterranean to central Asia. It also reaches the western Himalaya. Kew places it in the temperate biome. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Plants For A Future lists it across southwest Asia and north Africa. That broader distribution list does not distinguish native from introduced plants.
This species grows in farm fields and on waste ground. Its annual life cycle sets it apart from perennial garden plants. It grows for one season rather than forming a lasting plant. The supplied sources give no species-level height or spread. They also give no clear account of its stems or leaves. Flower colour, bloom dates, and fruit form remain undescribed here. Its flowers are hermaphrodite, with both male and female organs. This alone does not establish how the plant receives pollen.
In cultivation, it accepts a broad range of soil types. These include sand, loam, and clay. It also tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. Ordinary garden soil can support it. It needs an open site, since it cannot grow in shade. It prefers moist soil rather than dry conditions. Plants For A Future lists cultivated beds as a suitable setting. The evidence gives no frost limits or hardiness zone. It offers no species-specific account of pests or diseases.
The seeds have a recorded food use. People grind them and blend the meal with wheat flour. The blend serves in bread, cakes, and similar foods. Plants For A Future reports that the seed adds flavour. It also warns that the ground seed soon turns rancid. In Russia, growers have encouraged this plant within wheat fields. This lets them harvest its seeds alongside the grain. The record describes a food crop use, not just an ornamental role.
The seed contains about 22.6 percent oil. That oil also has a recorded use as fuel. Plants For A Future lists no known medicinal uses. It reports no known hazards, but this is not proof of safety. Its food record concerns the seeds, not every plant part.
Common names
Syrian Cephalaria, Pelemir, MakhobeliMore information about Syrian Cephalaria
How difficult is it to grow Cephalaria syriaca?
Cephalaria syriaca is an undemanding annual that succeeds in ordinary garden soil. It requires full sun and tolerates a range of soil textures and pH levels from neutral to alkaline. No specialist care is needed; sow seeds directly into the ground in spring.
How big does Cephalaria syriaca get?
Cephalaria syriaca is an annual typically reaching around 1 metre in height. Members of the Cephalaria genus can grow 0.8–2 m tall depending on conditions.
How often should you water Cephalaria syriaca?
Cephalaria syriaca prefers moist conditions but is not demanding. Ordinary soil moisture in an open, sunny position is generally sufficient.
What is the best soil for Cephalaria syriaca?
The plant succeeds in light, medium, and heavy soils. It tolerates neutral to alkaline pH and grows well in ordinary garden soil without specialist amendment.
What is the temperature range for Cephalaria syriaca?
Specific hardiness zone data is not confirmed in available sources. The species is native to temperate Asia and the Middle East, and is cultivated as a cool-season annual; seeds can be sown in early spring or autumn.
Can Cephalaria syriaca be grown outdoors?
Cephalaria syriaca is strictly an outdoor plant. Sow seeds directly into ordinary garden soil in a full-sun position in March–April, or potentially September–October. The species has historically been grown in agricultural field settings across the Middle East and Russia, and can naturalise readily in cultivated or disturbed ground.
How do you propagate Cephalaria syriaca?
Propagation is by seed. Sow directly into the final growing position in March–April (or September–October). Seeds have historically been broadcast into grain fields and harvested mechanically alongside wheat.
When does Cephalaria syriaca flower?
Cephalaria syriaca is an annual flowering plant. Detailed bloom time and individual flower colour for this species are not confirmed in available sources, though related species in the genus typically bear pale yellow to cream flower heads on erect stems.
Is Cephalaria syriaca edible?
The seeds of Cephalaria syriaca (known as Pelemir in Turkey) are edible and have been used for centuries as a food. They are ground into flour and mixed with wheat to make bread and other baked goods, adding a distinctive bitter flavour. The seed oil content (~22.6%) means the flour can go rancid quickly. Modern research identifies the seeds as a rich source of t-resveratrol and caffeic acid, and clinical studies have incorporated Pelemir-enriched bread into trials with healthy adults and those with metabolic conditions, finding it safe and well-tolerated across all groups.
What are the medicinal uses of Cephalaria syriaca?
Cephalaria syriaca seeds contain high concentrations of t-resveratrol (up to 4629 μg/g dw) and caffeic acid, polyphenols associated with cancer prevention and neuroprotection. A 2025 clinical trial found that Pelemir-enriched bread significantly increased insulin, C-peptide, and GLP-1 responses in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, suggesting potential benefit for metabolic health. Traditional medicinal uses are not documented in available sources.
What are the other uses of Cephalaria syriaca?
The seeds contain approximately 22.6% oil that has been used as a fuel. Beyond food and fuel, the plant's high polyphenol content is attracting interest from food science researchers as a functional ingredient.
How is Cephalaria syriaca pollinated?
Cephalaria syriaca is a hermaphroditic annual. Specific pollination method for this species is not confirmed in available sources, though related Cephalaria species are typically insect-pollinated.
What is the region of origin of Syrian Cephalaria
What is the sunlight requirement for Syrian Cephalaria
Is Syrian Cephalaria toxic to humans/pets?
Sources
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