Meum athamanticum

Meum athamanticum is a highly aromatic perennial wild plant well known to alpine meadow surveyors under its names chervil or alpine fennel. Its finely cut foliage with a powerful spicy scent and its tufted habit resemble fennel, and its flowering in white umbels reminds us that this perennial belongs to the same family. Hardy, robust and carefree, alpine chervil has its rightful place in mountain gardens, wild or curated, where it can self-seed. Like fennel, the plant is sometimes used in herbal medicine for its digestive properties.

Meum athamanticum, also known as cistus, false athamante or mountain fennel, belongs to the Apiaceae family, just like wild carrot, parsley, and celery. It is found in mountainous regions of Western and Central Europe, from Italy to Scandinavia, passing through France (Alps, Limousin, Ardèche) and the highest massifs of the Belgian Ardennes. It is found in meadows, in siliceous (poor and non-calcareous) soil, up to an altitude of 1400m (4593ft).

Alpine chervil is a perennial with thick, fibrous underground stems. It is highly aromatic. It is deciduous, with above-ground vegetation dying in winter and regenerating in spring. It forms a dense tuft measuring 40 to 60cm (16 to 24in) in all directions, depending on soil fertility. The stems are hollow, bearing leaves divided into small, very fine, thread-like strips, which are dark green in colour. The overall appearance gives a beautiful airy aspect to the vegetation. Flowering occurs from June to August. It takes the form of flattened cream-white umbels, slightly tinged with pink on the periphery, composed of very small flowers and measuring 5 to 8cm (2 to 3in) in diameter. They are popular with bees. After pollination, oblong fruits with prominent ridges form, measuring 6 to 8mm in length.

Meum athamanticum prefers non-calcareous, slightly clayey and not too dry soils. Under these conditions, it is a very robust and carefree plant. It can be planted in a sunny bed, a not too dry rockery, or in a flower meadow. This plant is valuable for bees, and the gardener will appreciate the airy aspect of its vegetation to lighten heavier perennials. In a flower meadow, it can accompany centaureas, annual poppies, nigellas, cosmos, Ammi visnaga, ornamental carrot Dara or thistles, for example.