Fennel
(Foeniculum vulgare)
Also know as Finocchio
Botanical Information
A perennial herb of the Parsley family with an erect stem which grows up to six feet tall and has many yellow umbrella-shaped flowering parts and a profusion of plump licorice-tasting greenish-yellow fruits.
Working with Fennel
Part(s) Used
Seeds
Herb Forms
Tincture, essential oil, bulk herb
Fennel seeds, known for their pleasant licorice or anise taste, make a great tea, an addition to tincture formulas, and ingredient in soups, stews, and salads. You can also use the leaf as a culinary herb while you are waiting for the flowers to appear in late summer (the leaves lose their juiciness as the plants bloom). The fresh or dried seeds have long been a popular remedy for dyspepsia, flatulence, nausea, stomachache, and the pains and spasms of colic and diarrhea in babies and young children. Mothers drink the seed tea it to increase the flow of breast milk. Fennel has been used for centuries to increase lactation. Fennel seed preparation, including teas, are sued worldwide to stimulate digestion and appetite, help ease the symptoms of bronchitis and coughs, and flavor medicines. The essential oil eases muscular and rheumatic pains. Fennel seed poultices may be used for conjunctivitis.
Fennel has a taste of ACRID and a temperature of WARM.
Cautions
None noted. Fennel has been used in cooking for many centuries. Though the condition is rare, people with a known sensitivity to anethole (the constituent responsible for fennel’s milk-promoting activity in mothers) should avoid the seeds. Mild estrogenic activity has been noted in the essential oil and the tincture, so it is best to avoid these during pregnancy or nursing, but drinking the tea is perfectly safe.
Conditions treated with Fennel
Condition
Treatment Support
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The information given here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. The information is drawn from numerous sources—both traditional medicine practice, from the clinical experience of many herbalists currently practicing, and supported by decades of scientific research from the author. The research most consulted includes human clinical trials that help to determine the most effective and safe herbs for various needs, the best doses, and types of preparations.
The information offered in this database is not intended as a substitute for any that may have been prescribed by your health practitioner or physician.