Cumin is an annual herb native to Egypt which is now cultivated in southern Europe and Asia, it grows to a height of 20–30cm it has a slender, branched stem. The leaves pinnate sometimes bi-pinnate and 5–10cm in length, bluish-green in colour, with thin thread-like leaflets. The tiny flowers are white to pale pink in colour and are born on umbels approximately 3.5cm in diameter; each umbel contains 5-7 umbellets. The fruits are 4-5mm in length and contain a single seed which is oblong in shape and ridged along the length and yellowy-brown in colour.
