Fennel

Fennel is a hardy, perennial, umbelliferous herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It has a thick, perennial root-stock, stout stems, 4 to 5 feet or more in height, erect and cylindrical, bright green and so smooth as to seem polished, much branched bearing leaves cut into the very finest of segments.

Nutritional Facts

The best varieties of Fennel yield from 4 to 5 per cent of volatile oil (sp. gr. 0.960 to 0.930), the principal constituents of which are Anethol (50 to 60 per cent) and Fenchone (18 to 22 per cent). Anethol is also the chief constituent of Anise oil. There are also present in oil of Fennel, d-pinene, phellandrine, anisic acid and anisic aldehyde. Indian Fennel yields only 0.72 per cent of oil, containing only 6.7 per cent of fenchone. The seeds are also used for flavouring and the carminative oil that is distilled from them, which has a sweetish aromatic odour and flavour, is employed in the making of cordials and liqueurs, and is also used in perfumery and for scenting soaps.