Fennel

Like parsley this plant can be biennial, flowering in its second year of growth, or it may be perennial. It has a rounded blueish stem and finely cut leaves and above the leaves a flower head forms, usually yellow, with many small flowerets in a spreading flattened umbels.

Cultivation

This tall, vaguely aniseed scented plant grows wild in much of the Mediterranean and is widely cultivated across Europe. Grown from seed it takes two years to reach full growth. The crop is harvested in September to October of the second year, when the flower heads are cut and left to ripen in a well ventilated area. Then the crop is cut and the plants are left in sheaves. The umbels are threshed to release the seeds which are used in cooking.

Parts used

All parts of the plant are used for various culinary or medicinal purposes.

Uses

Crush 1 tablespoon of crushed seeds and boil in a pint of water for bronchitis, trapped wind or to encourage breast milk in new mothers. As a purgative, fennel powder is mixed with liquorice and senna leaf. Fennel water can be used as a lotion for inflamed eyes. The seed is mixed with other aromatic seeds and fruits to make mouthwashes and is used in cooking especially with oily meats. The fresh leaves can be added to salads and the root is eaten as a vegetable. An aromatic oil extracted from the plant improves the appetite and helps boost the digestive process.

Fennel photograph by Andyrob from flickr under a creative commons attribution licence.

 

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