Dill is a culinary herb that has a distinctive flavor that's a cross between celery and fennel. Native to Europe and Asia, dill plays a big role in seasoning pickled foods meant to be canned and stored for winter. Beyond that, both the leaves and seeds are used to season a variety of dishes.
Although delicate looking, dill is actually a fairly cold-hardy plant. It's best started in early spring after the chance of frost has passed, and it will grow quickly, with seedlings appearing in around ten days. Mature plants are multi-branched and upright, with finely dissected leaves and wide, flat flowers that can make the plant top-heavy and cause it to bend over. The entire plant is extremely fragrant—the leaves and seeds are most commonly thought of as seasonings, but the flowers are also edible.
