Fennel
(Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Umbelliferae)
Also Called: Sweet Fennel.
Description: Biennial
or perennial plant with firm root and round,' greenish-blue finely striated
stem 70cm-2m (2-6ft) high. Leaves 3-4-pinnatisect, the segments always very
narrow and often filiform.
Flowers, in large umbels, formed in the second year of growth, are small,
yellow.
Fruits at first bluish, then brownish-grey.
All parts of the plant are aromatic.
Different races of fennel exist with fruits that are sweet or bitter or acrid
in taste.
Parts Used: Dried ripe fruit ('seeds').; rarely also the dried roots.
Habitat and Cultivation: A native of the Mediterranean region,
and widely naturalised throughout the world
Fennel is extensively cultivated in the temperate zone, it also occurs wild.
It is found on sea cliffs and waste places inland in England and Wales.
Cultivation is from seed sown in rows 15cm (6in) apart; planted out in the
second year in rows 60cm (2ft) apart.
Harvested in September-October; the middle umbels ripen first,
and are cut from the plants when they turn brown, they are left to ripen
completely in a well aired place.
When the remaining umbels have turned brown the entire crop is cut and the
plants left in sheaves.
Later they are threshed with a flail or are combed in order to separate
the fruits.
A field may be worked for 2-3 years.
Yield: 8-20kg (17-441b) per are (120 sq yd).
Fennel has been cultivated since Roman times - grown for its thick bulbous
stems which are used as a vegetable, while the feathery leaves are used
in flavouring and the seeds in medicine.
The Greeks called the plant marathron,
which is reputedly derived from a verb meaning "to grow thin" and
used as a slimming aid.
was once recommended to counterbalance
the cool, dampness of fish, or as Culpeper put it "...to consume
the phlegmatic humour which fish most plentifully afford and annoy the body
with".
Fennel was also associated with fortune telling and was used to decorate
houses at midsummer to keep evil spirits at bay.
Constituents and Action: A volatile oil with very characteristic
odour and a sweet taste.
Fennel has antimicrobial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties.
It is carminative, improves the appetite, is weakly diuretic and is a mild
stimulant of intestinal action.
Useful for bloating, flatulence, mild digestive spasms, catarrh, coughs.
A tea made with a few fresh sprigs of fennel or a level teaspoon of seeds
will relieve indigestion.
It is sometimes added to baby formula to aid digestion.
Fennel is an effective treatment for respiratory congestion and is a common
ingredient in cough remedies.
A tea made from fennel helps to stimulate the flow of breast milk.
An infusion makes a soothing eyewash.
The essential oil can be added to external rubs for
bronchial congestion.
An infusion of the seeds is an excellent carminative, especially for babies.
Use 1 teaspoon (5ml) of infusion for colic and gas.
Usage: As a tisane (0.5 litre (1 pt) of cold water on 1
tablespoonful of crushed fruits and raise to the boil) for bronchitis,
intestinal wind or to promote lactation; mild purgative.
As a purgative fennel is generally taken in powder form, mixed with liquorice
and senna leaf (Compound Liquorice Powder).
Rarely used as a lotion for inflamed eyes.
Forms available: Teas, capsules, tinctures, lozenges.
Caution: Rare allergic skin and respiratory tract reactions
have been reported.
Fennel is a potential source of synthetic oestrogen, and should be avoided
if you're pregnant.
In very high doses it causes a form of intoxication.
Culinary Uses
Use the leaves with pork, veal and fish.
They are also good in fish stock, sauces and stuffings, and in mayonnaise, flavoured butters and salad dressings.
The dried stalks are placed under grilled or barbecued fish.
The seeds are used as a spice, particularly in breads.
At the two-leafed stage, the seedlings make a pungent salad, reminiscent of mustard.
Used in culinary oils andvinegars
Other Uses
Chew the seeds as a breath freshener.
Cultivation:
With its umbels of tiny yellow flowers and dark green or bronze wispy leaves,
fennel is a decorative addition to the herbaceous border where it makes a
good background plant.
Fennel will grow in most any soil, but the richer the soil, the more tender
the foliage.
Seeds should be sown directly in the garden in the late spring.
Seedlings do not transplant well.
The deep taproots are difficult to pull up, so remove unwanted seedlings while
young.
The plant will self-sow generously.
To maintain a continuous supply of fresh leaves throughout the season, sow
a few seeds every 10 days.
If seeds are not desired, remove flowerheads to promote bushier growth.
Fennel can be grown as an annual, although the established roots will overwinter
easily.
Divide roots in fall after the seeds have been harvested.
Be warned, however, that many other plants dislike fennel and grow poorly
when forced to share space with this strong herb.
Never plant fennel near coriander or dill.
