Florence Fennel
vegetable
Grown for the swollen anise-flavored bulb at the base—different from herb fennel. Bolts in heat; best as a spring or fall crop. Blanch the bulb by mounding soil around it 2 weeks before harvest for a milder flavor. Keep isolated — allelopathic to most vegetables.
At a glance
- USDA Zones
- 4–9
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hrs)
- Water
- Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry
- Soil
- Loam, sandy
- pH
- Neutral
- Spacing
- 12 in. between plants
- Per square foot
- 1 plant per square
- Days to maturity
- About 80 days
Planting & harvest windows
Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Plant Harvest
Keep apart from
Recommended varieties
- Orion F180 daysseed
Large, uniform, slow-to-bolt bulbs. The most reliable hybrid.
- Zefa Fino75 daysseed
Classic Swiss heirloom with thick, tender bulbs.
- Fino70 daysseed
Early, compact — ideal for raised bed spacing.
Add Florence Fennel to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.
Open the planner →