The dried white fruit with greyish brown colour of a small slender herb, the aromatic seed like fruit is elongated, ovoid, slightly bitter and with a warm flavour. The flowers are often white or rose coloured in small umbels. Indigenous to North Egypt, Syria, the Mediterranean region, Iran and India, it is also cultivated in Mexico, China Sicily and Malta.

Cumin is a tropical plant and is cultivated as a rabi crop in areas where atmospheric humidity during February-March is low. Although they have an aromatic and bitter taste, it is often used as a condiment and is an ingredient in curry powders, seasonings of breads, cakes and cheese.

In medicine, it is used as a stimulant, carminative, stomachic and astringent. Cumin seed oil is also used in perfumery and for flavoring liquors and cordials.