Fennel

The plant we know today as fennel is a special cultivated variety that has spread around the globe. Fennel’s native home is the Mediterranean region and Western Asia, where it finds its preferred dry soils and where it remains warm and sunny well into autumn. More precisely, the bulb we are familiar with today can be divided into three varieties, which differ in growth and use:

Wild fennel, also called bitter fennel, (Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare var. vulgare), characterized by its bitter taste

Spice fennel, also known as sweet fennel, (Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare var. dulce)

Vegetable fennel or bulb fennel (Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare var. azoricum), which produces a particularly large bulb

The ancient Egyptians already cultivated and used the plant for various purposes. In the Middle Ages, it was listed in every herbal book. Today, it can sometimes be found growing wild in Central Europe. Within the plant family of Apiaceae, fennel is the only species assigned to the genus Foeniculum.

 

Fennel contains a high proportion of essential oil, which consists among other things of anethole, menthol, and fenchone. These substances are responsible for the typical anise flavor characteristic of the bulb. It is also rich in iron, potassium, vitamins A and C – it even contains more vitamin C than some fruits.

 

The low-calorie vegetable is indispensable in Mediterranean dishes. In cooking, both the bulb and the seeds of fennel are used. It can be prepared raw in salads – especially delicious combined with nuts – or as a snack. On the other hand, fennel can also be cooked, steamed, fried, or braised. Traditionally, it is served with fish.

Bitter fennel, which does not form an above-ground edible bulb, can also be used culinarily. Here, the leaves are of interest, which enhance raw vegetable dishes, soups, salads, and cheese.

The use of fennel as a medicinal plant has a long tradition. The essential oil it contains has a positive effect mainly on digestion – even heavy meals become easy to digest. It is also said to relieve menstrual pain. Fennel has long been used for coughs as well – its mucolytic properties are beneficial here. Applied externally, fennel can help with skin problems.

 

Fennel grows as a biennial herbaceous plant and can reach heights of up to two meters. The storage leaves of vegetable fennel are shaped into a bulb. On the smooth stem grow between six and 29 umbels, which consist of up to 42 small yellow flowers.