Fennel

Also known as: Common Fennel, Sweet Fennel, Bronze Fennel, Finocchio, Florence Fennel, Saunf, Marathi Mothi Saunf

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a tall, feathery perennial of the carrot family native to the Mediterranean but now naturalized across temperate regions, flourishing in dry, sunny soils and along roadsides. As an herb, it is grown for its aromatic, feathery fronds (sometimes bronze), its flowers, and its small greenish-brown seeds, all of which carry the same sweet anise perfume at different intensities. The herb form is distinct from Florence fennel (finocchio), the swollen-bulb vegetable, though they share a common botanical origin; the herb's leaves and seeds are classic in Mediterranean, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking.