(Foeniculum vulgare dulce var. Azoricum) 90 days. Known to Italian gardeners as Finocchio. Dill-shaped leaves with distinctive licorice flavor. May produce bulbs, which can be blanched or eaten raw in salads.

Growing instructions: Biennial in zones 2-5, perennial in zones 6-10. Germination: 70°F, darkness required, 7-14 days. Direct seed. Full sun. 36-60 in. tall. Medicinal: Fennel is used as a carminative to relieve flatulence and colic while stimulating digestion. It is also anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and is similar to anise in calming bronchial coughs. It has estrogenic activity and stimulates milk flow in nursing mothers.

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