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Candles, Aromatherapy & Soaps (Home) > Essential Oils > Fennel
Fennel: Benefits, Using Tips and Side EffectsFennel is a hardy, perennial, umbelliferous herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves, grows wild in most parts of temperate Europe, but is generally considered indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean, whence it spreads eastwards to India. It has followed the civilization, especially where Italians have colonized, and may be found growing wild in many parts of the world upon dry soils near the sea coast and upon river-banks. It flourishes particularly on the limestone soils and is now naturalized in some parts of this country, being found from North Wales southward and eastward to Kent, being most frequent in Devon and Cornwall and on chalk cliffs near the sea. It is often has been found in chalky districts inland in a semi-wild state. For the medicinal use of its fruits, commonly called seeds, the Fennel is largely cultivated in the south of France, Saxony, Galicia, and Russia, as well as in India and Persia. Fennel is cultivated in most of the countries of the world. As its cultivation is wide spread, it is easily available in almost all countries of the world. Fennel is a very beautiful plant. It has a very thick, perennial root-stock, stout stems, 4 to 5 feet or more in height, erect and cylindrical, bright green and so smooth as to seem polished, much branched bearing leaves cut into the very finest of segments. The bright golden flowers it produces are large, flat terminal umbels, with from thirteen to twenty rays, are in bloom in July and August. Fennel is easy to identify because of its golden flowers, which make it unique from other plants. However, fennel differs in its look in different regions. The size, the shape, leaves all change accordingly. Fennel is aromatic. Along with its aromatic property it has medical importance too. Medically fennel is well know as it is present in Liquorice Powder. Fennel is widely use for domestic purpose as well. If fennel is mixed with other carrier fluid and give to children's it improves the condition of uneasiness in children specially. In the kitchen garden, this naturally ornamental and graceful plant generally has its stems cut down to secure a constant crop of green leaves for flavoring and garnishing, so that the plant is seldom seen in the same perfection as in the wild state. In the wild condition, it is variable as to size, habit, shape and colour of leaf, number of rays in the flower head or umbel, and shape of fruit, but it has been under cultivation for so long that there are now several well-marked species. The Common Garden Fennel is distinguished from its wild relative by having much stouter, taller, tubular and larger stems, and less divided leaves, but the chief distinction is that the leaf-stalks form a curved sheath around the stem, often even as far as the base of the leaf above. These flower-stalks, or pedicles, of the umbels are also sturdier, and the fruits, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, are double the size of the wild ones. On account of its aromatic and carminative properties, the Fennel fruit is basically used medicinally with purgatives to allay their tendency to griping and for this purpose form one of the ingredients of the well-known compound Liquorice Powder. Fennel water has also the properties very similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic 'Gripe Water,' used to correct the flatulence of infants. Fennel tea also formerly also employed as a carminative, is made by pouring half a pint of boiling water on a teaspoonful of bruised Fennel seeds. It is one of the plants, which is said to be very much disliked by the fleas, and powdered Fennel has the effect of driving away fleas from kennels and stables. The plant gives off ozone readily. Due to the 'driving away' effect of the fennel it is used widely in farms in form of powder to avoid flies. Fennel is good for the environmental balance as it gives off ozone very easily. Ozone is very important cover for the protection of our environmental balance and fennel help by giving off the ozone make good step for environmental protection. VISITOR COMMENTS on "Fennel: Benefits, Using Tips and Side Effects": 
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