Fennel

Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family, a hardy perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves, indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but now widely naturalized in many parts of the world, especially on dry soils near sea coasts and along riverbanks. It is a highly flavorful herb used in cooking and, along with the similar-tasting anise, is one of the primary ingredients of absinthe; a selection known as Florence fennel, with a swollen, bulb-like stem base, is grown and used as a vegetable in its own right.