Blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
Trigonella caerulea
Pale blue flower heads and seeds ground into the warm, nutty spice at the heart of Georgian cooking.
Hardiness: zones 4 to 9
Light: full sun
Size: about 2 ft tall, 1 ft wide
Harvest: July to August
From: Caucasus and the Alps
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, fixing nitrogen in the soil, pollinators.
Native to: Caucasus, Temperate Europe. Hardy in zones 4 to 9.
The story
Blue fenugreek is utskho suneli, the 'foreign spice' of Georgia, where the dried pods and seeds are ground into the blend khmeli suneli and into walnut sauces. In the Alps the dried leaves flavour Schabziger cheese and rye bread.
Planting
Full sun and ordinary garden soil. Sow in spring where it is to grow.
Growing
Thin to six inches. It fixes its own nitrogen and needs little water.
Harvest and use
For the spice, let the seed heads dry on the plant, then grind pods and seeds together. For the herb, cut the leafy tops at flowering and dry them.
What to watch for
It is milder than common fenugreek, so do not swap them one for one. Wet weather at harvest spoils the seed heads.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home