fennel USDA PLANTS Symbol: FOVU
U.S. Nativity: Exotic
Habit: Forbs/Herbs
Foeniculum vulgare P. Mill.
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Apiales: Apiaceae
Synonym(s): sweet fennel
Native Range: Africa, temp. & trop. Asia, Europe (GRIN);
Appearance
Foeniculum vulgare is a perennial with soft, feathery, almost hair-like foliage growing up to 6.6 ft. (2 m) tall. This plant can look similar to dill.
Foliage
Stem striate. Leaves 3-4 pinnate; segments filiform, up to 1.6 in. (4 cm) long; leaf bases sheathing. Rays 5-30, 0.39-2.4 in. (1-6 cm) long.
Flowers
Flowers are small, yellow, and found in large flat-topped umbels. Blooming occurs between August and October.
Fruit
Fruit oblong to ovoid, 0.12-0.2 in. (3-5 mm) long. Seeds ripen from September to October. This plant can reproduce from crown or root fragments but freely reproduces from seed.
Ecological Threat
Foeniculum vulgare requires well-drained soil and cannot grow in the shade. It prefers disturbed areas and is native to Europe.
Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
Selected Images from Invasive.orgView All Images at Invasive.org


Plant(s); Flowers
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s); Habit
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s); Habit
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Foliage; Leaves
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Plant(s); Habit
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s); Flowering plant
John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s); Habit
Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s); Flower
John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Fruit(s); Apical (left) and basal views (right) of the mericarp. Adaxial side at top of photo.
D. Walters and C. Southwick, USDA, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s); Cross-section of mericarp, showing seed and oil ducts. Adaxial side at top.
D. Walters and C. Southwick, USDA, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
EDDMapS Distribution:
This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org 		 


State List
This map identifies those states that list this species on their invasive species list or law.
U.S. National Parks where reported invasive:
Colonial National Historical Park (Virginia)
Death Valley National Park (California)
Haleakala National Park (Hawaii)
Redwood National Park (California)
Yosemite National Park (California)


Invasive Listing Sources:
California Invasive Plant Council
Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
Native Plant Society of Oregon, 2008
Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
West Virginia Native Plant Society, Flora West Virginia Project, and West Virginia Curatorial Database System, September 3, 1999