Fennel

About Fennel

Every part is edible - bulb, fronds, flowers, seeds, and pollen. Fennel pollen is one of the most expensive spices, selling for $20-30 per ounce. It was considered sacred to the Greeks - Prometheus supposedly carried fire in a fennel stalk. It contains anethole, which gives it a licorice-like flavor. It is a natural digestive aid and was chewed after meals in medieval times. Florence fennel produces the swollen bulb used as a vegetable. It attracts swallowtail butterflies. It can grow 2 meters tall. It was one of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo-Saxons. It is invasive in some regions, particularly California.