Foeniculum vulgare Fennel Related species:
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Fennel was one of the nine Anglo-Saxon
sacred herbs, and was much used by ancient Greeks. The roots were boiled
as a vegetable, and also used as an expectorant in cough mixture. In Victorian
times, the seeds symbolized the virtue of strength. Fennel seeds were also
combined in little sacks or purses with those of dill and caraway, to be
chewed at prayer meetings to quell hunger pangs. Thus, they were known
as "meeting seeds".
The dried stalks of fennel are an essential ingredient of Provençal cuisine. The soft growing tips are widely used to flavour and garnish fish dishes, soups and baked dishes. They can also be made into a tea to treat indigestion and colic. It is a popular flavouring for liqueurs, and a scent for soaps and cosmetics. Oil produced from fennel seeds is antibacterial. Fennel thrives in light, moist soils. The roots should be divided in spring and planted in a sunny position. Fennel self-seeds freely, so dead-head if the seeds are not required. Do not grow near dill, as the two species cross-fertilize readily to produce useless hybrids. Fennel grows wild in waste, damp sites and can become an invasive weed, as in Australia and New Zealand. |