Meu: plant care, lookalikes & using spignel

With its pretty flower umbels and delicate leaves, spignel is not only a joy to have in the garden but in the kitchen as well.

This nearly forgotten culinary herb is delicious, versatile and easy to care for. Meu (Meum athamanticum) is even suitable for beginner gardeners. Discover here where meu feels at home and with which plants it is often confused.

Identifying meu: properties and origin

Meu is also known as meum, spignel and baldmoney. The natural habitat of meu is in Europe’s montane to subalpine regions, more than 1000m above sea level. Meum athamanticum belongs to the umbellifer family (Apiaceae) and is currently the only recognised species within the genus Meum. As is typical of this plant family, meu has umbrella-shaped inflorescences, which are called compound umbels. Numerous individual flowers branch out from a point on a flower stem and these flower stems also branch from leaf axils. Meum athamanticum reveal their single flowers in white, pale yellow or pink from May to June and reach a height 20 to 40cm. This deciduous herb is easily recognisable by its edged stem and multiple pinnate leaves, which resemble fennel leaves. If you grind meu leaves, they release an aniseed-like, spicy fragrance.

Insects, such as bees and bumblebees, also enjoy the pleasantly fragrant herb for the nectar and pollen it provides. Meum athamanticum is often pollinated by beetles and flies. The meu fruits are ripe from July onwards. They are furrowed and brown in colour. As these are two-seeded closed fruits, they are called schizocarps. Meu plants also grow up to 1m long taproots, making them unsuitable for planting in pots.

Meu lookalikes

Meu is often confused with other members of the umbellifer family. The inflorescence of caraway (Carum carvi) looks similar, although closer inspection will reveal differences in the leaves. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and dill (Anethum graveolens), on the other hand, have similar foliage but bear individual yellow flowers. The spicy scent that comes from rubbing the meu leaves makes it easy to identify the meu plant.

Planting meu: location and procedure

In its natural habitat, meu grows in sunny to semi-shady locations in fresh and lean soils that are acidic to neutral. Meu grows vigorously in somewhat nutrient-rich soil. Most important, however, is the soil structure − meu does not tolerate waterlogging, so make sure that the soil is well-drained. Some nurseries also offer meu plants, but you will more likely find meu seeds available for purchase.

Once you have found a suitable spot, you can start sowing your meu seeds. To prepare the soil, remove any weeds and add a drainage layer of gravel or chippings if the soil is prone to waterlogging. If the soil is too heavy or light, you can improve its structure by mixing in a suitable substrate. A small amount of compost provides the plants with the nutrients they need, but add compost sparingly, as it can raise the soil’s pH value. Our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost has a pH value of 6.1 to 6.9, making it ideal for meu. In addition, our soil does not contain peat and is, therefore, produced in a more environmentally friendly way than many other commercially available composts.

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Spignel seeds need a period of cold temperatures to germinate. However, before this cold period, the seeds also need three to four weeks of humid and warm conditions, ideally at 15 to 20°C. Therefore, sowing outdoors in late summer to autumn is recommended. Alternatively, the seeds can be grown in a seed tray from January to March and then cultivated for about six to eight weeks at temperatures around 5 °C, for example in a refrigerator. In both cases, sow the seeds 1cm deep and about 25 to 30cm apart. In the seed tray this spacing can be about 4cm, but when the first real leaves are visible, the seedlings must be pricked out and transplanted. Remember to water the seeds and keep them moist. If your seedlings are in a refrigerator, ensure that they are well ventilated to avoid mould.

Tip: overall, Meum athamanticum likes to be in smaller groups of three to ten plants. The best companion plants for meu are its neighbours from its natural habitat. Such neighbours include alpine lady’s-mantle (Alchemilla alpina), betony (Stachys officinalis) and mountain tobacco (Arnica montana).

Meu plant care

Once meu has established itself, it is very easy to care for and does not need to be fertilised. If the soil is too poor, it can be improved with a small amount of compost in spring before meu starts growing. Meu plants prefer moist soil, so remember to water them during long dry spells. Pruning is not necessary. However, if you want a compact growth habit, it is advisable to cut back the perennial regularly. Meus are tolerant of pruning and will readily sprout new shoots. We also recommend maintenance pruning in spring before new shoots appear to remove dead foliage from the previous year. To prevent unwanted spreading, cut back the inflorescences before the seeds ripen so that they do not spread in the garden. Meus are hardy down to -23 °C, so they can be overwintered outdoors without any additional measures.

Harvesting and using meu

This umbellifer looks wonderful in mixed beds, on rocky slopes and in rock gardens. Meus’ delicate leaves and beautiful flower umbels are a refreshing addition to any home garden.

Spignel is often found in monastery and kitchen gardens. All parts of the plant are edible and taste like aniseed. The leaves can be used in combination with other herbs to make a delicious cream cheese. The dried fruits are excellent as a spice in soups. In Germany, the herb is best known for its use in schnapps. To make spignel schnapps, wash and chop the freshly harvested meu roots, generously cover them with a grain spirit and leave the mixture to stand for six weeks − your spignel schnapps is ready!

The meu leaves can be harvested all year round, although young foliage is more aromatic before the flowering season. It is best to harvest the leaves on a dry day. Dry the harvested herbs in a shady and cool but airy place. When the fruit ripens from July to August, the brown seeds can be harvested. The best time to harvest meu roots is in autumn after the fruit has ripened.

In folk medicine, meu helps relieve stomach cramps, flatulence and other digestive problems as well as bladder diseases and kidney ailments. That said, these healing effects have not yet been proven, which is why meu is not found in conventional medicine.

Another representative of the Umbelliferae family is angelica (Angelica), which, like meu, is not only a pretty addition to the garden but useful in the kitchen.