Melinda Myers

Fennel

Botanical Name

Foeniculum vulgare

Hardiness

Zones 4 to 9

Height

4 to 5 feet

Flowers

Summer: greenish yellow

Light

Full sun

Soil

Moist, well-drained

Planting & Care

• Easily grown by direct seeding in the garden in spring or fall. Can be started indoors, seeds need to be soak for 4 to 5 days to increase germination.
• When transplanting into the garden, space plants 18 to 24 inches apart
• Prune back plants to promote fuller, sturdier growth
• Deadhead flowers once they begin to fade to prevent aggressive re-seeding
• The flowers attract beneficial insects and the foliage is food for the larvae of swallowtail butterflies

Problems

None serious, re-seeds readily

Varieties

• Purpurascens - dark bronze foliage