Florence fennel flower(Foeniculum vulgare)is a recurrent herb in the carrot class , native to the shore of the Mediterranean . The common fennel plant grows up to 8 ft tall , has feathery leaves , and form clusters of vivid yellow flowers .
Every part of the common fennel herbaceous plant has a distinctive anise plant or licorice flavor and is used as a seasoning in preparation — particularly in dishes with fish . Fennel seed are used for odorize soaps and perfumes and for flavoring confect , medication , and food .
There are two type of Florence fennel – herb and veggie . The vegetable Florence fennel is produce annually for its anise - flavored stalks and lightbulb - like foot .
Fennel Flower Characteristics
About Herb Fennel
Fennel flower is a tender perennial , but it ’s almost always grow as an annual herbaceous plant . Herb finocchio is cultivated worldwide for its edible sullen green leave of absence and seeds . With a taste similar to licorice , common fennel plants are used for medicinal use and as a flavoring in cooking .
All parts of the herb — including leave of absence , stalks , flowers , pollen , and ejaculate — are edible and used in many culinary tradition worldwide . habituate fresh or dried fennel parting in salads , coleslaws , soups , and stews . Use eatable Florence fennel flowers to garnish meat , Pisces the Fishes , tomato , and potato dishes . Green fennel seeds are highly redolent and are intimately used to enhance the tone of stews and lettuce .
About Vegetable Fennel
The vegetable common fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare var . dulce ) is called Florence fennel or finocchio . Firenze fennel is a cool - weather harvest , grown annually for its anise - flavored stalks and bulbous root word . The industrial plant ’s thick stalks can be eat raw or cooked , and its leaves , pollen , and seed are used in cooking .
Although a member of the carrot family , the bulb common fennel disagree from the blossom . Compared to sweet-scented fennel , Florence fennel is shorter in height and develop up to 24 inch magniloquent . With its fleshy stalk and feathery leaves , the stocky bulb wait more like cultivated celery than an herb .
How to Grow Vegetable Fennel
Firenze common fennel plants are grown from ejaculate . Start veg fennel seedlings indoors four to six weeks before the last frost engagement , or inseminate fennel seeds directly into the garden . Plant the seed 8 to 12 inches apart and ¼ inch deep in plenteous , moist , and well - drained land .
Vegetable finocchio grows best in cooler temperatures . If planted earlier in the spring , these edible plants flush , reducing the bulb ’s quality . The plant prefers uniformly damp soil . To keep the soil moist , irrigate with 1 to 2 in of pee per week throughout the growing time of year .
Young Florence fennel plants senesce in 60 to 90 days . When electric light swell and become the sizing of an eggs , mound grime around the bulb to help create paler and mildly flavor fennel bulbs .
How to Grow Herb Fennel
Fennel blossom is easy grown from seed and expect little sustenance once established . These plants prefer a cheery location and rich soil . Herb Florence fennel does n’t transplant well due to its farsighted pat tooth root , and is best straight seed in the garden . Sow seed directly in spring after the last frost engagement has passed .
Plant seeds about 4 to 6 inches apart and provide 18 inch between row . When fennel flower seedlings have two sets of true leaves , thin the young plants to a distance of 12 to 18 inches apart . The bloom is drought - tolerant and require occasional watering once institute , especially during the dryer summer month .
Fennel flower is a ego - sow works and will pronto re - seed if seedheads and faded flowers are n’t removed . A mature plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds , invading your entire herb garden .
Fennel Medicinal Uses
The fennel herb provide many wellness benefit and has been used for centuries in traditional practice of medicine . The flowers are used to treat wellness condition associated with reproductive , digestive , respiratory , and endocrine systems .
Fennel afternoon tea , pulverized fennel , and common fennel excerpt are good for various ailments , such as bloating , enteral gas , exit of appetite , colic in baby , coughs , and ocular problems .
Fennel for Health
Both vegetable fennel and fennel seeds bring home the bacon health welfare , moderate many essential nutrients , and are low in calories . Vegetable fennel is high in fiber , vitamin C , and potassium .
Eating raw fennel provides other wellness benefits , admit ameliorate ivory , skin , and eye wellness , lowered blood pressing , and decreased risk of heart disease .
Used to makeessential oils , fennel seeds are full of antioxidants that lower the risk of continuing health problem such as obesity , cancer , heart disease , diabetes , and neurological issue .
Fennel Seeds
Fennel flower produce tiny greenish - brown oblong seeds , which are also referred to as fruits . waste immature seeds or permit them to ripen and teetotal . glean the seeds by skip the blossom head once it deform browned .
Place the fennel efflorescence head in a composition udder in a well - ventilated way to dry . Store the dry seeds in an air - tight container and use them as a spice in recipes .
How to Deal With Invasive Herb Fennel
Unlike veg Florence fennel , the herbaceous plant common fennel is considered an invasive species in some parts of the United States . The Florence fennel flower change the social organisation of many plant communities — have light , nutrients , and piss from aboriginal species .
To contain encroaching wild Florence fennel , manually murder the blossom before they flower and get a probability to re - seed . Burning matured flora and hand pulling small seedlings when soil is lenient are effective dominance method acting . If all else fails , use herbicide to deal with herbaceous plant Florence fennel ’s invasive increase .
FAQs About Fennel
Here are some common questions about the fennel bloom :
Are Dill and Fennel the Same Thing?
No , dill weed and common fennel are two dissimilar plant life used for dissimilar purposes . The principal difference of opinion between dill weed and fennel is that all parts of the vegetable common fennel are eatable , while only dill weed ’s leave and seeds can be wipe out . Fennel also has a distinctive liquorice flavor that is absent in dill .
What Part of Fennel Is Used in Cooking?
The bulb is the most ordinarily used part of vegetable fennel in cooking , but the straw and fronds can be cooked , too . Fennel lightbulb can be make fun , caramelise , grill , braised , or oven broil . Use fennel straw when establish stocks , steamed seafood , or make fun , and use fennel frond in salad or as a garnish .
When Is Too Much Fennel Consumption?
Avoid eating more than 1 or 2 teaspoon of dried or whole fennel seeds day by day . There is no commend everyday limit for how much fennel tea is safe to drink , so start with one cup at a time . likely side effects of too much fennel admit chest pain , nausea , vomiting , hives , skin rash , difficultness breathing , and itchy or vain pelt .
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