Fennel
Common Name: Fennel
Botanical Name
Foeniculum vulgare Miller
Family
Apiaceae
Commercial Part
- Fruit (commonly referred to as seed)
Description
Fennel is a biennial, aromatic, stout and glabrous herb growing up to 1.5 to 1.8 meters in height.
- The fruit (dried seed) is small, oblong, cylindrical, about 6–8 mm long
- It is straight or slightly curved, greenish-yellow, deeply furrowed, and has 5 prominent ridges
- The fruit emits a sweet, agreeable aroma and is widely used in both culinary and medicinal applications
Climatic Requirements for Cultivation
- Climate: Cool, dry weather is ideal
- Temperature: Prefers mild winters; too much rain or humidity during flowering leads to pests and diseases
- Soil: Well-drained loamy soils with good fertility
- Season: Sown in October-November and harvested in March-April in India
Origin and Distribution
- Native to: Southern Europe and Asia Minor
- Extensively cultivated in India, China, Egypt, and parts of Europe
- In India, it is mainly cultivated in northern and western regions as a rabi season crop
Major Growing Areas in India
- Rajasthan – Sirohi, Jalore
- Gujarat – Mehsana, Banaskantha, Rajkot
- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh – smaller areas
Popular Varieties
- RF-101, RF-125, Guj Fennel-1, HF-143, Hisar Swarup, Ajmer Fennel-1 (AF-1)
- These varieties are selected for high yield, essential oil content, and disease resistance
Uses
Culinary:
- Fresh leaves are used for garnishing and salads
- Fruits (seeds) are used as mouth fresheners (masticatory)
- Widely used in Indian cooking, pickles, soups, curries, meat dishes, and baked goods
- Essential ingredient in Italian sausages, and often sprinkled on pizza
Medicinal:
- Known for carminative, digestive, and stimulant properties
- Used in Ayurveda and folk medicine to treat indigestion, flatulence, and colic in infants
- Acts as a mild laxative, diuretic, and anti-spasmodic
Industrial:
- Fennel essential oil is used in perfumery, cosmetics, and flavouring of liquors
Indian Names of Fennel
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Saunf, Sonp |
| Bengali | Pan, Muhiri, Mauri |
| Gujarati | Variari |
| Kannada | Badi-sopu |
| Malayalam | Perum jeerakam |
| Marathi | Badishep |
| Punjabi | Saunf |
| Sanskrit | Madhurika |
| Tamil | Shombei |
| Telugu | Sopu, Pedda-jilakara |
Foreign Names of Fennel
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Hinojo |
| French | Fenouil |
| German | Fenchel |
| Swedish | Fankal |
| Arabic | Shamar |
| Dutch | Venkel |
| Italian | Finocchio |
| Portuguese | Funcho |
| Russian | Fyenkhel |
| Japanese | Uikyo |
| Chinese | Hui-Hsiang |