Fennel

Overview

Fennel is native to the Mediterranean region and has been widely naturalised worldwide. It is also widely cultivated in its native areas, Western and Central Europe, Southern and Eastern Asia, New Zealand, Ethiopia, South Africa, and the Americas for its fruits and leaves. Its essential oil is known as a distinctive allround flavoring agent which is used in food, cosmetic, perfumes, detergent, soap, and many others.

Vernacular Names

Aneth doux (French), Saunf (India), Fenneru (Japanese), Phak s'i (Laos), Adas pedas (Malaysia), Samon-saba (Burmese), Anis (Tagalog-Philippines), Funcho (Portuguese),  Hinojo, eneldo, anís.(Spanish), Phakchi-duanha (Thai). Indonesia: Das-pedas (Aceh), Adas, Paampas (Manado), Adeh, Manis (Minangk.), Hades (Sund.), Adas (Jaw., Bal.), Denggu-denggu (Goront.), Wala wunga (Sumb.)

Agroecology

Fennel is suited to a sub-temperate climate regime, with a daily temperature range of 12-28 °C and frost sensitive, In the tropics, it is grown above 600 m in the highlands. In full sun, it thrives in well-drained, light, moderately fertile soils, particularly in sandy loams, where nuts need additional watering during the dry seasons.

Morphology

• Stems - erect, terete, longitudinally striate, profusely branched at all heights, internodes hollow when older.
• Leaves - basal and cauline leaves up to 15 cm, broadly triangular-ovate in outline.
• Flowers - pale yellow, tiny, 2 mm across, in compound umbels, 4–10 cm across, bracts and bracteoles absent, sepals inconspicuous, petals yellow, ovate.
• Fruits - an ovoid-cylindrical, usually slightly curved schizocarp, 3-8.5 mm × 2-2.5 mm, light green to yellow-brown, splitting at maturity into 2 mericarps each with 5 prominent ridges and oil-vittae between the ridges.

Cultivation

Propagated by seed. At nearly any time of the year, seeds germinate, but plants do not bloom until they are 18 months to 2 years old.

Chemical Constituents

Leaves : kuersetin-3-glukuronida, limonen, kaemferol-3-glukuronida, felandren, nelumbosida, pinen, funikularin. Seed: flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenols, sterols, estragole, gallic acid, L-limonene.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

Medicinal Uses

• The fruits are generally recognized in many pharmacopeias as a stimulant, stomachic, expectorant and carminative.
• There are antioxidant properties of the ground spice and the essential oil. The essential oil has also antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial activities.
• It exhibits spasmolytic effects on the experimental smooth muscle.

Traditional Uses

• In Indonesia, the fruit is traditionally used to give a good taste to medicines in combination with the bark of the Alyxia species, but the combination is also thought to be useful in the treatment of sprue (coeliac disease).
• In India, the leaves are diuretic; fruit juice is provided to improve eyesight, and hot fruit infusions are used to improve milk production and stimulate sweating.
• Fennel is used against gastroenteritis, hernia, indigestion, to resolve phlegm and abdominal pain in Chinese herbal medicine.