Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Bronze Fennel
Bronze Fennel
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Bronze Fennel Seeds
Bronze Fennel is a plant with dual nationality: it is a delicious culinary herb, but it is also a stunning ornamental perennial. It produces tall, billowing clouds of feathery foliage in a deep, smoky copper-purple that smells strongly of aniseed (liquorice) when brushed.
This is the ultimate "see-through" plant. Growing up to 1.8m tall, it adds huge height to a border without blocking the view, acting like a dark veil. In late summer, it is topped with flat umbrellas of mustard-yellow flowers that are absolutely covered in hoverflies and bees. It is drought-tolerant, majestic, and delicious.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Bronze Fennel is a Hardy Perennial.
It dies back to the ground in winter and re-emerges with fresh purple shoots every spring. It is a "herbaceous" fennel, meaning it doesn't form the bulbous white base you buy in supermarkets; instead, it is grown for its leaves and seeds.
The "Taproot": It grows a very long, carrot-like taproot which allows it to find water deep underground, making it incredibly drought resistant once established.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Because of its long taproot, fennel hates being moved. Direct sowing is best.
Germination:
Sow directly outdoors in Spring (April-May) once the soil has warmed up. Scatter seeds thinly into shallow drills and cover lightly. Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
It needs full sun to develop that deep purple colour. It thrives in light, sandy, or well-drained soil. It will rot in heavy, waterlogged winter soil.
Care While Growing:
Staking: Despite its height, it is usually self-supporting, but in very windy gardens, a few canes might be needed.
Self-Seeding: Fennel drops seeds *everywhere*. If you don't want babies popping up all over the garden next year, cut the seed heads off before they turn brown.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum' |
| Common Name | Bronze Fennel / Herb Fennel |
| Hardiness | H5 (Hardy - withstands cold winters) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 1.5m - 2.0m (Very Tall) |
| Spread | ↔️ 50cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 45cm apart |
| Great for | 🐟 Fish Dishes 🐝 Pollinators 🏙️ Architectural Structure ☀️ Drought Gardens |
| Seed Count | Approx. 250 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The dark, smoky foliage needs bright colours to make it pop:
- 🧡 Calendula 'Indian Prince': The Fire Mix. The deep orange and mahogany of the Calendula flowers look incredible against the purple haze of the fennel foliage.
- 🌸 Cosmos 'Sensation Mix': The Pink Haze. The airy, ferny foliage of Cosmos echoes the texture of the fennel, while the pink and white flowers provide a soft, romantic contrast to the dark stems.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow outdoors in spring. Flowers July to September.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Outdoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | ||||||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
⚠️ Chef's Secret
The young leaves and seeds are delicious, but the real prize is the Fennel Pollen. In late summer, shake the yellow flower heads over a bowl to collect the golden dust. It has an intense, sweet flavour often called "The Spice of Angels" by top chefs.
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
This is a biodiversity champion. Foeniculum vulgare is listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list, particularly famous for attracting beneficial hoverflies which eat aphids.
