Description

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), also known as F. officinale, is a member of the Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) or carrot family, along with dill (Anethum graveolens), caraway (Carum carvi), and anise (Pimpinella anisum). Fennel has a thick, spindle-shaped taproot that produces a pithy, smooth or finely-fluted round stem that may reach to 6 ft (1.8 m) in height. The finely divided leaves, with numerous thread-like segments, grow from a sheath surrounding the stalk at the base of the leaf stem. The delicate, blue-green filiform leaf segments have a pungent scent, somewhat similar to licorice, and an anise-like flavor. This characteristic is due to the presence of the phytochemical anethol, also a primary constituent of anise oil. Fennel's...