Well worth growing (Fennel)

Member Name: Inspiral

Product:	Fennel
Date:	05/04/01 (166 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Appearance, fragrance and habit

Disadvantages: None

Fennel is easy to grow from seed sown straight into the earth, doing best in a sunny spot. Once it is established it will self seed and pop up by itself year after year. The plants have attractive frondy leaves and large white or yellow flower heads, a bit like cow parsley. They reach about three foot.

This herb is worth growing purely for its appearance and rich aniseedy fragance but, if you are interested in using it, has a whole range of medicinal and some culinary uses.

Traditionally Fennel has been used to settle the stomach and ease heartburn and indigestion. It is also reputed to help asthma and Culpepper suggests it might be of use to breastfeeding mothers. I make a tea by boiling up a few pieces of the fresh herb or steeping a couple of teaspoons of the dried plant in a pot of hot water but you can buy Fennel teabags in whole food shops and some supermarkets if you prefer. Fennel also goes well with fish and, if you cut the stalks just before they flower, you can eat them like celery.

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