Foeniculum vulgare rubrum - Bronze Fennel
Bronze Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare rubrum. Growers are split between the cultivar names Rubrum and Purpureum and a few use Nigrum. Regardless plants are spectacular in the garden and fragrant on the dinner table. Green or red foliage makes little difference for taste. There are a number of varieties a with fattened bulblike base, Sweet Fennel or Azoricum. On the down side Foeniculum vulgare is a major weed and is difficult to eradicate. Fennel easily escapes and should not be planted near wild areas. Roots can grow to 6 feet deep or more. Leave a root behind and Fennel will come back. Foeniculum vulgare is easily grown from the flavorful seeds making it a most successful weed. Anise Swallowtail butterflies are attracted to the yellow flowers Spring and Summer. A number of butterflies including this Monarch feed on Bronze Fennel nectar. Foeniculum vulgare is hardy down to zone 5, far colder than we see in most of California.
A Monarch Butterfly visits flowers of Foeniculum vulgare rubrum - Bronze Fennel. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.
High resolution photos of are part of our garden image collection.