Meum athamanticum aka Spignel

Meum athamanticum belongs to the Apiaceae family. It is a herbaceous perennial: a plant with soft stems that lives for years. Its common names include bald money, bearwort, spignel, and meu. It grows wild in western and central Europe, plus Morocco. The RHS also lists Britain and Ireland as native homes. It grows in temperate regions and sheds its leaves with the seasons. Gardeners grow it for its scented leaves and white flowers.

The plant forms a bushy shape with finely split leaves. These fine parts give the leaves a look like feathers. Their scent adds interest as well as their shape. The RHS gives a garden height of 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. It gives the same range for the plant’s mature spread. Plants reach their full size in two to five years. Small white flowers bloom from early summer into midsummer. They form umbels: groups whose flower stalks spread from shared points.

Choose a sunny site with soil that drains well. The RHS calls for soil with a fair level of nutrients. It prefers alkaline soil but also lists neutral soil as suitable. Chalk, clay, loam, and sand can all suit this plant. Each soil type must let excess water drain away. The soil can stay moist as long as it drains. Sites that face south or west suit its need for sun. It can grow in open sites or places with shelter. The RHS rates its hardiness as H6. This covers winter lows of about −20 to −15°C under UK conditions.

The RHS suggests this plant for cottage and informal gardens. It also lists wildlife gardens, flower beds, and borders. The fine leaves can add texture to these garden spaces. The white umbels bring a separate season of flower interest. Cut back flower stems once they no longer add interest. Sow seed as soon as it ripens to grow new plants. You can also split the plant in spring to make more. Keep these split parts in pots until they take hold.

Slugs, snails, and aphids may harm the plant. The RHS says diseases are not often a problem. The supplied sources do not say which parts people can eat. Nor do they give details on whether this plant is toxic. They give no account of fruit specific to this species.