Fennel is a glabrous, much-branched, biennial herb with 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. It is a member of the Apiaceae (parsley family) and is related to carrots, caraway, anise, cumin, dill, etc. Since it is a versatile vegetable, it plays an important role in the food culture of many European nations, especially in France and Italy. Leaves, bulb and seed are edible part of fennel. Leaves and seed are consumed as seasoning. Bulb is used as vegetable. Nowadays it is cultivated throughout the world due to its licorice-like flavor and the myriad of health benefits.
| Name | Fennel |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Foeniculum vulgare |
| Native | Mediterranean region |
| Common/English Name | Aniseed Weed, Bitter Fennel, Bronze Fennel, Common Fennel, False Dill, Fennel, Finnochio, French Fennel, Green and Bronze Fennel, Garden Fennel, Roman Fennel, Sweet Cumin, Sweet Fennel, Wild Fennel. |
| Name in Other Languages | Japanese : Fenneru Turkey : Arapsaçı Georgian : Kama Armenian: Samit Esperanto : Fenkolo Basque : Mehul Portuguese : Erva-Doce Hungarian : Bécsi Fű Bulgaria : Morach Korean: Hoe-Hyang Catalan : Fonoll Slovašcina : Komarček Navadni Polish : Fenku Croatian : Komorač Russian: Fenchel´ Obyknovennyj Laos : Phak Si Spanish : Hinojo Danish : Almindelig Fennikel Azerbaijani : Разјана Dutch : Knolvenkel Romanian : Anason Dulce Farsi : Razianeh Thai : Pak Chi Duanha Malaysia : Adas Finnish: Fenikeli Galician : Fiuncho Swedish: Besk Fänkål Ukrainian : Fenḫel’ Zvičajnij Arabic: Badyan Persian : Razýanh German : Brotsamen Sri Lanka : Maduri Greek : Finókio Brazil : Erva-Doce Tibetan : Ma Tog Brgya Pa Hebrew : Shumar Welsh : Ffennigl Icelandic : Fennika Norwegian : Fenikkel Indonesia: Das Spicy ( Aceh ) Slovencina : Fenikel Portuguese : Funcho Burmese : Samong-Saba Latvian : Fenhelis French : Anet Lithuanian: Paprastasis Pankolis Czech : Fenýkl Obecný Maltese : Bużbież Vietnam : Cay Thi La Nepalese : Madesi Sauf Swahili : Tamari India : Sap Guti ( Assamese ) Russian : Fenchel’ Obyknovennyj Pakistan : Barisaunf Chinese : Hui Xiang Provencal: Fenoun Italian : Finocchio Scottish Gaelic : Lus An T’saiodh Irish : Finéal Philippines : Anis Albanian : Kopër |
| Plant Growth Habit | Erect, aromatic, glabrous, much-branched, biennial herb |
| Growing Climate | Thrives in full sun |
| Soil | Well-drained, light, moderately fertile soils, especially in sandy loams nut needs supplemental watering during the dry seasons |
| Plant Size | 2 m high |
| Root | Thick, spindle-shaped taproot |
| Bulb Shape & Size | Swollen, bulb-like structure, measures about 3-5 inches in width and about 3 inches in length |
| Bulb Color | White or pale green |
| Bulb Flavor | Delicate, sweet |
| Stem | Erect, robust, glabrous stem filled with white spongy pith and are bluish-grey colored. |
| Leaf | Basal and cauline leaves up to 15 cm, broadly triangular-ovate in outline; ultimate segments 5–40 × 0.5 mm; petiole 7–14 cm.
Upper leaves alternate, 2–4 × pinnately divided ultimate segments filiform, 1–6 × 0. 6 mm, petiole broadly sheathing at base |
| Flower | Pale yellow, tiny, 2 mm across, in compound umbels, 4–10 cm across; bracts and bracteoles absent, |
| Seed Shape & Size | Ovoid-oblong to oblong or curved (comma) shape schizocarpic, of mericarps ,non- fleshy, 4–10 mm long by 1.5–2 mm wide |
| Seed Color | Light-brown |
| Seed Flavor/aroma | Pleasant sweet anise or licorice flavor |
| Seed taste | Sweet |
| Season | July to September. |
| Major Nutrition bulb | Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 54.6 µg (45.50%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 10.4 mg (11.56%) Iron, Fe 0.64 mg (8.00%) Potassium, K 360 mg (7.66%) Manganese, Mn 0.166 mg (7.22%) Total dietary Fiber 2.7 g (7.11%) Copper, Cu 0.057 mg (6.33%) Phosphorus, P 44 mg (6.29%) Vitamin A, RAE 42 µg (6.00%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 23 µg (5.75%) |
| Major Nutrition seeds | Manganese, Mn 6.533 mg (284.04%) Iron, Fe 18.54 mg (231.75%) Calcium, Ca 1196 mg (119.60%) Copper, Cu 1.067 mg (118.56%) Total dietary Fiber 39.8 g (104.74%) Magnesium, Mg 385 mg (91.67%) Phosphorus, P 487 mg (69.57%) Tryptophan 0.253 g (57.50%) Valine 0.915 g (43.32%) Total Fat (lipid) 14.87 g (42.49%) Isoleucine 0.695 g (41.57%) Carbohydrate 52.29 g (40.22%) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 6.05 mg (37.81%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.47 mg (36.15%) Potassium, K 1694 mg (36.04%) Threonine 0.602 g (34.20%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.408 mg (34.00%) Zinc, Zn 3.7 mg (33.64%) Protein 15.8 g 31.60% Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.353 mg (27.15%) Leucine 0.996 g (26.95%) Histidine 0.331 g (26.87%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 21 mg (23.33%) Lysine 0.758 g (22.67%) |
| Health Benefits of Bulb |
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| Health Benefits of Seeds |
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| Calories in 1cup bulb(87gm) | 27 Kcal |
| Calories in 1cup seeds(100gm) | 345 Kcal |