Fennel, Perfection

Perfection fennel forms large, perfectly rounded white bulbs with excellent sweet anise flavor and crisp texture. This reliable variety is slower to bolt than some fennels, giving you more time to harvest those delicious bulbs.

Fennel: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a licorice-flavored Mediterranean herb that provides a triple harvest: feathery aromatic foliage for seasoning, crisp anise-scented bulbs (Florence fennel) perfect for roasting or raw salads, and seeds ideal for tea or Italian sausage. While bulbing types yield the prized baseball-sized base, the taller herb fennel produces abundant foliage and seeds. Both varieties are highly beneficial, attracting insects like the swallowtail butterfly caterpillars to your garden.

• Growing Tips: Transplant in early spring or late summer, spacing 12 inches apart; avoid root disturbance as fennel is sensitive to transplanting.

• Sun Requirements: Full sun (6-8 hours minimum).

• Preferred Soil: Rich, well-drained soil with consistent moisture; water stress or letting plants dry out induces premature bolting.

• Harvest Details: For bulbing types, cut bulbs at soil level when baseball-sized (typically 65-80 days); harvest leaves anytime; collect seeds when they turn brown; heat stress compromises bulb quality.