Foeniculum vulgare
Minimum seed count: 100
 
This is a non-bulbing type of fennel grown for its leaves and seeds.  Younger leaves have a mild taste, and the anise flavor becomes stronger as plants mature.  Seeds are delicious to snack on, make tea with, and of course they are an indispensable spice if you make your own sausage.  The flowers are also edible, anise-flavored, and are tasty added to salads or used as a garnish.  The tall foliage with its lovely bronze hue is beautiful in the garden and makes a pretty ornamental or back drop for other plants.    Butterflies and honeybees flock to the flowers!  Plants are hardy to zone 5 and will return the following Spring.  Often self-seeds.  This is obviously a plant everyone needs in their garden!
50-60 days