It is a biennial, aromatic, stout, glabrous, and 1.5â??1.8 m high. The ripe fruit (seed) is small, oblong, cylindrical, 6.8mm long, straight, or slightly curved, greenish-yellow, deeply furrowed, 5 ridged, and has an agreeable aroma. A native of Europe and Asia Minor, Fennel is cultivated extensively in Northern India as a cold-weather crop. It comes up well in a fairly mild climate. The dry and cold weather favors high seed production. Prolonged cloudy weather at this time of year is conducive to diseases and pests.


Fennel leaves are used for garnishing. Leaves and stalks are used in salads. It is an essential ingredient in Italian sausages, widely used to sprinkle on pizza. Dried fruits have a fragrant odor and pleasant aromatic taste and are therefore used as a masticatory. They are also used for flavouring soups, meat dishes, sauces, pastries, confectionaries, and liquors. The fruits are aromatic, stimulant and carminative.