Ferula caspica

Ferula caspica belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for several years. Its native range runs from Ukraine to Mongolia and Türkiye. Kew places it in the temperate climate zone. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Records place it on dry, salty ground in Ukraine's south and east. They also list sites in the southeast of Russia. One record puts it in cracks in rock. These lie on mountain slopes in northern Tibet.

Plants For A Future gives its height as 1 foot [0.3 metres]. The evidence gives no width for a full-grown plant. It gives no details of the leaves, either. That source says it blooms from June to July. Its seeds ripen in June and July as well. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects carry pollen between the flowers. The plant is self-fertile: it can set seed with its own pollen. The records give no flower colour or fruit shape.

This plant needs sun and will not grow in shade. It grows in sand, loam, or clay that drains well. The listed soils range from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. It can grow in salty soil, too. Dry or moist ground suits it, and it copes with drought. These traits fit the dry, salty sites in the records. Plants For A Future lists garden beds as a place to grow it. How well it withstands British winters is not clear. The source gives no firm winter rating.

The notes on raising plants advise sowing ripe seed under glass in autumn. Sowing under glass in April is a second option. Put seedlings in their own pots once large enough to handle. The notes advise planting them out while still small. They warn that moving roots once settled can cause problems. They suggest mulch for cover through the first winter outdoors. They also mention splitting plants in autumn to make more plants. But the source questions this method, as it disturbs roots.

The source records no food use and knows of no hazards. This does not mean the plant is safe to eat. It reports uses of root gum resin for gut and breathing complaints. It also lists uses against gut worms and dysentery. These records do not prove that treatment is safe or works. The source lists no other uses. The evidence gives no pest or disease account specific to this species.