We have had fennel in our Sunnyvale garden since 2001. It reseeds easily. Any place you don’t want it, just pull it up. The feathery leaves remind me of dill and it has a nice scent. The small yellow flowers appear on the ends of each umbrella.
If you want to eat the Fennel bulb then make sure you get the Florence Fennel. Fennel is a flowering plant species in the celery family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae. It is the sole species in the genus Foeniculum. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves.
Details
Foeniculum vulgare
First planted: 2001
Source: Yamagamin Nursery of Cupertino
Family: Apiaceae (ay-pee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Foeniculum (fen-IK-yoo-lum) (Info) (fen-IK-yoo-lum) (Info)
Species: vulgare (vul-GAIR-ee) (Info)
Category:
Annuals
Biennials
Height:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Spacing:
12-15 in. (30-38 cm)
15-18 in. (38-45 cm)
Hardiness:
Not Applicable
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade
Danger:
Unknown – Tell us
Bloom Color:
Bright Yellow
Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Bronze-Green
Aromatic
Good Fall Color
Other details:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Provides winter interest
Suitable for growing in containers
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
