Fennel Growing in Australian Gardens

Introduction Fennel comes in two distinct forms — the herb fennel grown for leaves and seeds, and the bulbing Florence fennel grown as a vegetable. Australian conditions suit both, but they need to be kept separate as herb fennel self-seeds aggressively and can dominate a garden bed. Understanding which type suits your garden, climate, and culinary needs is the first step to fennel success. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a Mediterranean native that has adapted remarkably well to Australian g…