Foeniculum vulgare Bronze Fennel

Bronze Fennel New Growth

Stand of Bronze Fennel

The photo to the left shows a two year old plant in September that reemerged
after it was cut to the ground in July.

	Spanish explorers of the 1600's knew they would need to bring herb seeds with them to plant in the new world. This is how Sweet Fennel became distributed along 'El Camino Real' or The Kings Highway which connects the missions in California. Today, tall wispy spires of green Sweet Fennel can still be seen along Interstate 101 which traces that legendary route. In fact, the plant has became so abundant that today many consider it a native Californian plant; some consider it a weed. With the same sweet licorice flavor as Sweet Fennel, Bronze Fennel has just as many culinary uses and looks great in the garden too. At least, it looks great until it starts to go to seed. It can be cut back a couple of times a year to make it bush out, which increases its eye appeal. If you want to collect seeds, be sure not to cut the plant's center stalk down after the middle of summer. You can still harvest the outer leaves, just don't cut the center stalk, which will bear the flowers. Watch as the seeds start to turn from green to brown, and then cut the whole head and allow it to finish the ripening process in a brown paper bag. When the seeds are ripe, they will easily shake loose from the main head. Store in a dry airtight jar. The seeds are a traditional addition to Italian sausage and turn any jar of tomato sauce into sauce supreme. The leaves are great with fish and can be used to stuff the cavity of a whole fish or wrapped around fillets. Try combining the leaves of Bronze Fennel with French Tarragon for an extra kick. French Tarragon has a spicy bite that the Fennel does not, and yet both have the anise flavor. Bronze Fennel is hardy from Zone 5 and is easily grown as an annual in lower zones. Plant as soon as the danger of frost has passed. Full sun and well drained soil are better for producing rich oils and seeds. Cut back to the ground at the end of the season after seeds have formed. Having a long tap root, Fennel should not be disturbed or divided after planting. It can be grown in a container but it should be a nice deep one--like one of our Terra Roma Urns. A very important host plant for the Swallowtail Butterfly, Bronze Fennel makes a great addition to our Butterfly Herb Garden Six Pack and is sometimes included in our Butterfly Garden 36 Pack Assortment.
	Sometimes the herb Fennel is confused with the vegetable Fennel (pictured below). The vegetable Fennel is sometimes called Finocchio or Florence Fennel. Unfortunately, it has the same botanic name as the leaf and seed Fennel. But, it is the root of the vegetable Fennel that is eaten. So the herb Fennel is a perennial grown for its leaves and seeds and the vegetable Fennel is an annual grown for its licorice-flavored root.
		Or, put another way, the herb Fennel doesn't make an edible root and the Vegetable Fennel (pictured on the left) doesn't make seeds, well at least not the kind of seeds the Herb Fennel does, which are the ones we want to use! Whew... Bronze Fennel is one of the six plants chosen to be in our Zone 5 Tea Herb Garden.

Cultural Information

Height: 4 Feet

Hardiness: Perennial
in Zones 5-11

Flower Color: Yellow

Characteristics: Full Sun/
Part Shade,
Herbaceous,
Water Conserving

Uses: Butterfly Plant,
Culinary and Medicinal

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