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Fennel in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Foeniculum vulgare

 

Fennel

Fennel is an aromatic perennial herb with both culinary and medicinal uses. It has feathery leaves, umbels of small yellow flowers and an anise flavour. Do NOT grow it anywhere near dill - or the resulting cross-pollination will produce very odd flavours in the seeds of both plants! (not to be confused with the bulb form, Florence Fennel)

Contributed by @sfw21

 
plant Features
  • Fennel likes full sun

    Full sun

  • Fennel likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Fennel is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Fennel likes rich and free draining

    Rich and free draining

 
plant information

Common name

Fennel

Latin name

Foeniculum vulgare

type

Herbaceous Perennial

family

Apiaceae

ph

6.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Fennel likes full sun

    Full sun

  • Frost

    Fennel is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Soil

    Fennel likes rich and free draining

    Rich and free draining

  • Water

    Fennel likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Fennel is 0.75meters x 2.00meters 0.75 M 2.00 M

Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel is an aromatic perennial herb with both culinary and medicinal uses. It has feathery leaves, umbels of small yellow flowers and an anise flavour. Do NOT grow it anywhere near dill - or the resulting cross-pollination will produce very odd flavours in the seeds of both plants! (not to be confused with the bulb form, Florence Fennel)


Flowering

From Mid Summer TO Late Summer

Fennel bears umbels of yellow flowers in Summer

 

Propagate by seed

From Early Summer TO Mid Summer

Fennel does not like to be moved or transplanted, so sow in the permanent growing site, which needs to be a sunny site with rich, free draining soil. Sow the seeds in early Summer in situ - this will help to avoid the plant bolting (going to seed prematurely). Sow seeds 1/2" deep, and water well. Thin seedlings to 30 cms.

 

Planting

From Early Summer TO Early Summer

Fennel does not always transplant well, and is inclined to bolt if it is transplanted, so the best way is to grow from seed where it is required. The alternative is to grow in a container.and plant out in early Summer

 
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