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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Foeniculum vulgare dulce is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

F. dulce. DC. non Mill.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Root Seed Stem
Edible Uses:

Leaves - raw or cooked[52]. A delicious aniseed flavour[183], the young leaves are best since older ones soon become tough. They are often used as a garnish on raw or cooked dishes or added to salads[183]. The leaves are difficult to store dried[200]. Leaf stalks and flower heads - raw or cooked[14, 37, 52, 183]. An aniseed flavour[K]. The aromatic seeds are used as a flavouring in cakes, bread, stuffings etc[2, 4, 5, 21, 27, 183]. The sprouted seeds can be added to salads[183]. An essential oil from the seed is used as a food flavouring in similar ways to the whole seed[1, 46, 183]. Root - cooked[53]. The flavour is somewhat parsnip-like. The leaves or the seeds can be used to make a herb tea[16, 183].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Analgesic Antiinflammatory Antispasmodic Aromatic Carminative Diuretic Emmenagogue Expectorant
Galactogogue Hallucinogenic Stimulant Stomachic Urinary

Fennel is a commonly used household remedy, being useful in the treatment of a variety of complaints, especially those of the digestive system. The seeds, leaves and roots can be used, but the seeds are most active medicinally and are the part normally used[4]. An essential oil is often extracted from the seed for medicinal use, though it should not be given to pregnant women[4, 238]. The plant is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, galactogogue, hallucinogenic, laxative, stimulant and stomachic[4, 7, 9, 21, 147, 165, 176, 192, 238]. Fennel is often added to purgatives in order to allay their tendency to cause gripe, and also to improve the flavour[4]. An infusion of the root is used to treat urinary disorders[238]. An essential oil obtained from the seed is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Normalising'[210]. The essential oil is bactericidal, carminative and stimulant[218]. Some caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity[222].

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye Essential Repellent Strewing

The seed yields up to 5% of an essential oil[1, 4, 46]. This is used medicinally, as a food flavouring, in toothpastes, soaps, perfumery, air fresheners etc[1, 46, 238]. The flavour of fennel oil depends upon its two main constituents. 'Fenchone' is a bitter tasting element whilst 'anethole' has a sweet anise-like flavour[238]. The proportions of these two ingredients varies according to strain and region. Plants growing in the Mediterranean and southern Europe usually have a sweet oil whilst plants growing in central and northern Europe usually produce a more bitter oil[238]. The quality of the oil also depends upon how well the seed has been dried - the oil from fully ripened and dried seeds being much sweeter and more fragrant[245]. The dried plant is an insect repellent[14, 53], the crushed leaves are effective for keeping dogs free of fleas[201]. The plant was formerly used as a strewing herb[201]. Yellow and brown dyes are obtained from the flowers and leaves combined[168].

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator Scented Plants

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils[1] but prefers a sunny dry position[200]. A cultivar of F. vulgare, this is not the genuine Florence fennel since it does not have swollen leaf stems[200]. It is used in much the same way as fennel. See F. vulgare azoricum for the genuine Florence fennel[K]. The flowers attract bees and hoverflies[24]. Fennel is a poor companion plant in the garden, it inhibits the growth of nearby plants, especially beans, tomatoes and kohl rabi[14, 18]. It is itself inhibited by wormwood and coriander[14, 18].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Propagation

Seed - best sown in early spring in situ[1]. Division in March as the new growth appears[16, 200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Agastache foeniculum	Anise Hyssop, Blue giant hyssop	Perennial	0.9	4-9	LM	N	DM	5	1	3
Foeniculum vulgare	Fennel, Sweet fennel	Perennial	1.5	3-10	LMH	N	DM	5	3	4
Foeniculum vulgare azoricum	Florence Fennel	Perennial	1.5	6-9	LMH	N	DM	3	3	3

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Expert comment

Author

(Mill.)Batt.&Trab.

Botanical References

200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment


Dr. med. Veronika Rampold	Fri Dec 23 2005

In 2003 when I seed-sowed "wildflower lawn mixture" there were some seeds of sweet fennel in it. The place I sowed it was a sunny and quite dry one with clay soil. When I discovered there was fennel among the seedlings I literally "babyed" it (an old herbal says that fennel seedlings love to be fertilised with milk and sugar, like babies!), keeping any kind of disturbance esp. the all-pervading slugs away. In 2004 the fennel bloomed the first time. I ate the young stems instead of letting the seed ripen. This summer the fennel plants had grown to large bushes with plenty of umbels which I now preserved, and harvested shortly before ripening, as usual in medicinal fennel seed (see Madaus´work on phytotherapeuticals). It was three plants only and I harvested about 400 grammes of superb medicinal fennel. The fennel plants gave first young shoots quite early, around Easter, I gratefully took them as the first fresh snack from the garden. The seeds are currently being used for trituration exercises in Homeopathy courses for pharmacists. Some of the participants remarked that the smell made them merry, laughing more than usual. Saint Hildegard of Bingen says of fennel that it "maketh merry", which has thus been verified. Others said the smell gave them headache. a natural thing for a substance that can make merry, such as wine. Old Herbals say of fennel that it be an antidote and this too I found verified - regarding my tobacco throat. During the trituration lessons my desire for scraping and coughing is always suppressed completely. Data above are excerpted from a little fennel monography I am making up for Homeopathists. (Language: German)

Foeniculum vulgare dulce - (Mill.)Batt.&Trab.