Venus's Comb (Scandix pecten-veneris) seeds

Rare Culinary Herb with Comb-like Seed Pods – A True Garden Treasure

Venus’s comb (Scandix pecten-veneris), also known as shepherd’s needle, is a nearly forgotten wild herb native to the Mediterranean region. With its distinctive, comb-shaped seeds and delicate appearance, it was once a typical arable field companion plant, but has become increasingly rare in Central Europe due to modern agricultural practices. Yet it is well worth cultivating: as early as antiquity, Venus’s comb was valued as a culinary herb. Its fresh green foliage releases a fine aroma reminiscent of parsley, chervil, and coriander – perfect for salads, soft cheese dishes and vegetable recipes. The seeds can also be used sparingly as a spice, in a similar manner to caraway.

This annual plant is easy to grow. It reaches a loosely branched height of up to 40 cm, bears delicate white umbel flowers, and thrives particularly well in sunny positions with calcareous, low-nutrient soils. A charming feature: when sown in late summer, Venus’s comb often germinates in autumn and overwinters as a frost-tolerant rosette – ideal for naturalistic gardens, wild herb beds, and the conservation of historic cultivated plants.