Wild Fennel — Herbs

Foeniculum vulgare

Full sun, light watering — hardy through cold winters.

Photograph of Wild Fennel — iNaturalist / GBIF

Sow: Apr
Plant out: Jun
Harvest: Jul–Aug
In flower: Jul, Aug, Sep

Sun: Full sun
Water: Low
Difficulty: Easy
Hardiness: H5
Season: summer
Height: 150–250 cm
Spacing: 50 cm
Pets: Safe around pets
Bee friendly: Bee friendly
Native: Native

Grows well with

Lettuce — Fennel is named as a good neighbour for lettuce, the scent being credited with keeping pests off the salad.Nightshades — Keep fennel away from tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and aubergines: it puts out a chemical that slows the growth of plants in this family. Give it a zone of its own, or a spot several feet from the vegetables.Broccoli — Flowering fennel near broccoli brings in predators and parasitic wasps. Give it room, as it grows tall and seeds about.Brussels Sprout — Flowering fennel near Brussels sprouts brings in predators and parasitic wasps. Give it room, as it grows tall and seeds about.Cabbage — Flowering fennel near cabbages brings in predators and parasitic wasps. Give it room, as it grows tall and seeds about.Cauliflower — Flowering fennel near cauliflowers brings in predators and parasitic wasps. Give it room, as it grows tall and seeds about.Kale — Flowering fennel near kale brings in predators and parasitic wasps. Give it room, as it grows tall and seeds about.

Growing notes

Grows to 1.5-2.5 metres. Space about 10-50cm apart. In flower Jul-Sep.