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Not to be confused with the vegetable, the herb Fennel is best known for its role in Italian cooking, with its unique anise or licorice-like flavoring. Some might even pass over growing herb fennel because they have no idea how to use it, opting to grow the more familiar bulb fennel, instead. The leaves have a delicious flavor that pairs well with fish and eggs. The seeds are somewhat spicier and stronger, but with a similar flavor.
The plants have much smaller bulbs, if any at all, and have leafier top growth. Those who live in USDA Growing Zones 6-10 can grow common fennel as a perennial or biennial. It’s not able to withstand a hard frost, so most gardeners grow it as an annual. The best time to plant fennel is in the spring as soon as the soil is warm enough in a location with full sunlight, at least six hours of direct sun each day. Fennel plants grow up to five feet tall depending on what variety you grow.
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