Description & Distribution 
Of Southern European origin, Fennel is now cultivated in countries like India, Germany, Italy, France, Russia etc. Ancient used fennel as a condiment and culinary spice. The Greek considered it a symbol of success. To the Romans, the young fennel shoots were a vegetable food.

Fennel is the dried fruit of a perennial, aromatic, herbaceous plant which grows to a height of 1 to 1.5 metres. The plant has finely divided green leaves and small, yellow flowers.

The fruits are oval, 6-7 mm long, rigid, greenish and aromatic. It is harvested before the fruits are fully ripe. The plants are threshed after drying to obtain the fruits.

Propogation is usually by seeds and some times by root or crown division. 

Fennel has an agreeable, sweet aroma resembling aniseed.

Fennel grows well in areas with cold climate conditions. In India fennel grows in well drained loams of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. 

Gujarat contributes about 82% of the total production of fennel, the rest 18% by Rajasthan.

(The major producing districts in Gujarat are Sabarkantha, Kaira, Mehsana, Ahemadabad and Sirohi and Jodhpur in Rajasthan).

Harvest Season : February - April
Marketing Season : April - June

Uses
Indian Fennel, also known as 'Saunf', is used in food, medicines, liquors and perfumery. The Italians cook fennel with roast pork. In India fennel seeds are used in vegetarian cooking, pans and also chewed as a digestive aid. In Europe it is a traditional seasoning for fish, flavour pickles, cucumbers etc.

In the medical field, fennel seeds were used for treating wheezing, to boost mothers' milk and promote menstruation.

It is believed that fennel helps to cure stomach complaints. In India and China, Fennel has long been used as remedy for scorpion and snake bites.