seeds of Foeniculum vulgare, Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare, also called the fennel, is a herbaceous plant species of the family Apiaceae. The plant’s synonyms include Anethum dulce, Anethum foeniculum, and Anethum minus. The plant has its origins in the Mediterranean region and currently grows around the globe predominantly around sea coasts. The herb is upright and can grow to a height of 2.5 metres. The plant has hollow stems and leaves that can grow to a length of 40 cm. Flowers are yellow and grow in umbels that contain between 20 and 50 miniature-sized flowers. Fruits occur in the form of dry seeds that have a length of 4 to 10 mm. In addition to having both male and female flowers, the plant also relies on insects for pollination. Foeniculum vulgare has edible seeds, roots, leaves and stems which one can cook in several ways. The leaves have a very agreeable flavour and are most delicious while they are young. One can add the leaves to salads or use them to garnish cooked meals. The seeds share a similar flavour to the leaves and can be a tasty addition to salads. Alternatively, the flavour present in the seeds is ideal for bread, cakes, and stuffing. An additional benefit of the seeds and the leaves us that they improve digestion once ingested. If flavouring food using the seed proves difficult, one can extract essential oil from it for use instead. The flavour will be the same. The essential oil is also useful in the manufacture of soaps, air fresheners, toothpaste, and perfumes. The leaves and seeds are ideal ingredients for making tea. Foeniculum vulgare is a hardy plant that can comfortably grow in dry sandy soils. The plant can, however, easily grow in heavy clay or loamy soils. Moist, fertile soils with good drainage are the most ideal for the plant’s growth. The plant takes 90 to 115 days to reach maturity.