Selinum: A Little-Known Perennial Worth Understanding
If you’ve stumbled across the name selinum in your gardening research, you’re not alone in wondering what exactly this plant is all about. Selinum is a somewhat mysterious member of the carrot family (Apiaceae) that has quietly made its way into North American landscapes, though it remains largely under the radar of most gardeners.
What Exactly is Selinum?
Selinum is a perennial forb – essentially a non-woody flowering plant that comes back year after year. Like other members of the carrot family, it’s an herbaceous plant that lacks the thick, woody stems you’d find on shrubs or trees. Instead, it survives winter through underground parts and sends up fresh growth each growing season.
This plant falls into that interesting category of introduced species – it’s not native to North America but has managed to establish itself in the wild without human assistance. Currently, it’s been documented growing in Massachusetts, though its presence elsewhere may simply be unrecorded rather than non-existent.
The Challenge with Selinum
Here’s where things get a bit tricky for gardeners: there’s remarkably little information available about growing Selinum successfully. Unlike popular garden plants that have been extensively studied and cultivated, Selinum remains something of an enigma in the horticultural world. We don’t have reliable data about its preferred growing conditions, care requirements, or even its basic appearance and size.
Should You Plant Selinum?
Given the lack of comprehensive growing information and the fact that Selinum isn’t native to our ecosystems, most gardeners would be better served by choosing well-documented alternatives. However, if you’re the adventurous type who enjoys experimenting with unusual plants, just keep in mind that you’ll be somewhat on your own when it comes to care instructions.
Native Alternatives to Consider
If you’re drawn to the idea of growing plants from the carrot family, consider these native alternatives that offer similar characteristics with much better documentation:
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Though from a different family, offers similar pollinator appeal
- Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) – A native Apiaceae member with excellent pollinator value
- Wild Parsnip native relatives – Various native Apiaceae species depending on your region
The Bottom Line
While Selinum isn’t considered invasive or harmful, the lack of available growing information makes it a challenging choice for most gardeners. If you do encounter it growing wild, you can appreciate it as part of our diverse plant community. But for your garden, you’ll likely have much better success – and provide more ecological benefit – by choosing native plants with proven track records and abundant growing resources.
Remember, successful gardening often comes down to choosing plants that are well-suited to your specific conditions and have reliable care information available. In the case of Selinum, that information simply isn’t readily accessible, making it more of a botanical curiosity than a practical garden choice.
