(For sale in the Herbs section of the shop)
Eggarton Cottages, Eggarton Lane, Godmersham, Kent, CT4 7DY
Tel/Fax: 01227 730242
(For sale in the Herbs section of the shop)
Don't confuse this Fennel with the Florence Fennel, whose bulbous base is used in cooking. This species of Fennel can be used similarly to Dill in cooking, for example, chopping the aniseed-flavoured leaves for flavouring.
When food was scarce, people would use it for holding hunger pangs at bay. It was believed to have strengthening qualities, for example, gladiators would eat it before battle. Farmers would mix it with soap and salt and press it into the plough to strengthen the land and improve yields. It was also strewn across the path of newlyweds to strengthen their union. Hanging Fennel over the door-lintel on Midsummer-Eve was deemed to deter witchcraft. Folklore holds that if you gave Fennel away then you would be plagued with disaster. Snakes were believed to eat Fennel before sloughing their skins, in order to improve their sight and regain their youth! Pliny claimed Fennel made 22 remedies.
Fennel was prescribed by ancient herbalists to stimulate milk flow in nursing mothers, and to improve one's memory capabilities. It yields a yellow dye and was used as a strewing herb in medieval churches. Seeds placed in keyholes would stop ghosts coming in. Seeds were known as meeting seeds and chewed by American puritans to help them stay awake through long church meetings. Infusion of Fennel is good for memory and for stroke victims. Sprigs of Fennel put in a horse's harness will keep off flies. Similarly, Fennel powder sprinkled in kennels or stables will keep fleas at bay. Fennel is a herb of protection in magic. Rub Fennel inside beehives to encourage bees.
Fennel is mentioned in the legend of Prometheus as bestowing man with knowledge (Prometheus concealed the fire of the sun in a hollow Fennel stalk and brought it down from heaven to humans). The ancient Greek word for Fennel is "marathon", based on the Greek victory over the Persians in 470 BC at Marathon, a battle that was fought in a field of Fennel.
Fennel has been attributed with restoring eyesight. Pliny said that when snakes were blind they rubbed their eyes against Fennel and restored their vision. However, in reality, a few days before shedding their skin, fluid builds up in the snake between the old and new layers of skin, which also affects its eyes. The snake has to break the skin to shed it and does this by rubbing its head against plants. Once the skin is removed the eyes become clear and the snake is no longer "blind".
Fennel has been used as a antidote to depression. It is used in India as an after-dinner breath freshener. Used in old folk medicine in a poultice for cancerous wounds and hardening of the mammary glands. Fennel tea is good for intestinal spasms and cramps. Fennel oil can help prevent the building up of toxins in the body. Compresses soaked in Fennel tea and applied to the eyes can reduce inflammation or swelling. Fennel tea is also good for urinary tract infections.
In animal medicine, Fennel is used for treating eye and gastric problems, worms and constipation.
Fennel face pack - chop Fennel leaves and add to plain yoghurt. Spread mixture on theface, leave fifteen minutes and rinse off with warm water. This preparation will cleanse and stimulate the skin and smooth out wrinkles. Use once a week.
Plant out in well-drained soil and full sun.
Leaves can be frozen and the seeds used also in cooking.
*This sheet is provided for information only and is in no way a prescription for use. Please seek the advice of a qualified herbalist before using*
Perennial, growing to about 6.5 ft (2 m). Member of the Parsley family. Tall stem, tendril-like leaves and a yellow umbel of flowers in summer. The whole plant has a wispy look. Bees love it, and it has many culinary uses because of its aniseed flavour. Hoverflies also enjoy this plant and they are good to encourage because they eat a variety of garden pests. Fennel is also the food plant of the rare Swallowtail butterfly the caterpillars are striped green, cream and black with some orange spots. So protect! Name derives from the Latin "foenum", meaning hay.