Fennel Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Fennel

Fennel in flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Apiaceae
Genus:	Foeniculum
Species:	F. vulgare
Binomial name
*Foeniculum vulgare* Mill.

Fennel is a type of herb. It originally comes from the Mediterranean area and some parts of Asia. You can eat its bulb, leaves, and seeds. Dried fennel seeds are often used as a spice to add flavor to food. In the Middle Ages, fennel was used to make a spiced wine called claret. Its flavor is quite similar to anise.

What Fennel Looks Like
Growing and Using Fennel
Images for kids
See also

What Fennel Looks Like

Fennel, known scientifically as Foeniculum vulgare, is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years. It stands tall and has a greenish-blue color. Fennel can grow up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) high. Its stems are hollow inside.

The leaves can grow up to 40 cm (about 16 inches) long. They are very finely cut, almost like thin threads, about 0.5 mm wide. Fennel leaves look a bit like dill leaves, but they are thinner.

The flowers are tiny and yellow. They grow in clusters called umbels. These clusters are usually 5–15 cm (2–6 inches) wide. Each part of the cluster has 20–50 small yellow flowers. The fruit is a dry seed. It is 4–10 mm long and about half as wide. The seeds also have small grooves.

Growing and Using Fennel

Fennel is grown in many places around the world. People grow it for its tasty leaves and fruits. Its flavor, which is like aniseed, comes from a natural chemical called anethole. This same chemical is found in anise and star anise. So, fennel tastes and smells similar to them, but usually not as strong.

Florence Fennel

Florence fennel is a special type of fennel. Its scientific name is Foeniculum vulgare Azoricum Group. This type has swollen leaf bases that form a bulb-like shape. It was created by growing and selecting plants over time. Florence fennel has a mild anise-like flavor, but it is sweeter and smells nicer.

Florence fennel plants are smaller than the wild type. The swollen leaf bases are eaten as a vegetable. You can eat them raw or cooked. Several types of Florence fennel are also known by other names. A common Italian name for it is finocchio. Sometimes, in North American stores, it is mistakenly called "anise."

Decorative Fennel

There is also a type called Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum' or 'Nigra'. This is known as "bronze-leaved" fennel. It is often grown in gardens because it looks nice. It has a beautiful bronze or purplish color.

Where Fennel Grows Wild

Fennel has started to grow wild in many places. You can find it along roadsides, in fields, and in other open areas. This includes parts of northern Europe, the United States, southern Canada, and much of Asia and Australia. It spreads easily by its seeds.

In some places, like Australia and the United States, fennel is considered an invasive species. This means it grows so well that it can take over areas. It can become a weed and push out native plants. In western North America, fennel can be found near cities and in hill and mountain areas. However, it usually does not grow in desert places.