Dill and fennel can they cross?

Dear Herb lovers

I have a question... should I keep my cultivated Anethum graveolens away from the great swathes of Foeniculum vulgare growing wild in these parts? I wish to save seeds for next year and do not want it crossed with smelly old fennel! As it is a separate genus I thought they could not cross but a neighbour was saying they would.

Thanks.

I would like to find out this also. I planted fennel this growing season and I just ordered dill seeds for next growing season. How far can they be apart so that this won't happen?

Also, since fennel is a biennial, will the plants bloom during the second year(they bloomed a lot during this year) or will they die off?

Thanks,

Chuck

I love dill but have never grown fennel. They are closely related and I suspect they will cross. The reference books I have looked in give no indication.
Chuck ~ they state that fennel is a "tender perennial" usually grown as an annual. If seeds are left, they will readily self sow. Once seeds are harvested, cut the bloom stalks down to the ground as well as the straggly leaf stems. New growth will start quickly.
I love the anise flavor and shall have to put this plant on my "to try" list... Thanks for making me look. : )) pod

I read that his plant is a native to the Mediterranean but worryingly (for a vegetable gardener) I have noticed its gradual spread into the campo gardens over the last two years and now I find it coming up in our olive grove...it'll be in the veg patch soon and I can't allow that!!! We are talking about the wild fennel here not the vegetable one.

Hey Podster - I really like the smell of anise too. But having the fennel everywhere underfoot and having to wade through thick stands of it has had an affect on my tolerance level - I can't stand it anymore - it is not quite like aniseed either but has other notes in there which are probably responsible for the turn-off.

We have been mowing the olive grove to try and keep it down but like you say..."New growth will start quickly" You're absolutely right about that Pod. If you want to grow it take care and remember that if you want the bulby kind you have to ask specifically for it. Here is some useful info gleaned from Wikipedia:

{The Florence fennel (F. vulgare Azoricum Group) is a selection with inflated leaf bases which form a sort of bulb. It comes mainly from India and Egypt and it has a mild anise-like flavour, but is more aromatic and sweeter. Its flavour comes from anethole, an aromatic compound also found in anise and star anise. Florence fennel is smaller than the wild type and has inflated leaf bases which are eaten as a vegetable, both raw and cooked. There are several cultivars of Florence fennel, which is also known by several other names, notably the Italian name finocchio. In North American supermarkets, it is often mislabeled as "anise".

Fennel has become naturalised along roadsides, in pastures, and in other open sites in many regions, including northern Europe, Cyprus, the United States, southern Canada and in much of Asia and Australia. It is propagated by seed, and is considered to be a weed in Australia and the United States.} ....and in Lizzy's garden ;>)

Happy gardening!
Lizzy

Hey Lizzy ~ One of my books called it a "wilding" in Europe and the western US. I am sure it is a problem there. Don't know the solution. It also mentioned F. vulgare. The bulb apparently doesn't like our heat though. They also gave a romantic description of the many epicurean delights prepared in Europe with fennel. Just sounded tempting. Sorry... : )) pod

Dear Podster,

Thanks for looking in your references. I am going to try to plant the two (dill and fennel) about 50 feet apart next Spring. I don't save seeds and the purpose of growing both of them is to provide larval hosts for butterflies. The anise has a wonderful aroma. I hope that you can experience it in your garden.

Dear B1ZZYL1ZZY,

I am sorry that wild fennel is a pest where you live. Does it attract a large number of butterflies there in Spain?

Thanks again,

Chuck

I really do not know if it is problematic enough to be considered a notifiable pest here Chuck, but Spain is a bit slow on getting that kind of knowledge out to the people. As for attracting a large number of mariposas - I will have to go out and look because they are not that obvious. At least we don't need to plant it for them as nature has already taken care of that in abundance.LOL


Primarily I was concerned about it crossing with my Dill. Hence reason for post.

Reading thru some old posts, I found this one. It touches a little on your initial question BIZZYLIZZY... http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/16108/

cheers Pod.. It looks like although dill and fennel won't cross they have detrimental affect on each other when planted close (presumably via the soil) Thanks very much.

You will have to keep us posted as to your successes. : )) pod

Thanks, podster. The link was excellent. I was able to find out that if I let the plants go to seed, then I won't have to worry about dill and fennel crossing. Also, I cut the fennel back to the soil so it would start growing again...(I hope). For a while, my backyard smelled like licorice. It was very nice.

Thanks, B1ZZYL1ZZY,

I learned a new Spanish word from your message. Mariposa does mean butterfly, right? Good luck with your gardening and let me know if you have problems with the wild fennel and the dill intercrossing...

Thanks again,

Chuck

Dear B1ZZYL1ZZY,

We haven't heard from you for a while. I hope everything is okay.

What was the final outcome of the fennel-dill planting?

Take care,

Chuck

Oh Chuck - well so far my dill has not flowered so I don't know the answer to my original question! Actually, if I can keep it going perennially - I won't worry about it - I was only concerned about keeping my seed for next year pure so that I can keep that strain going. How about you - did you get your garden fennel?

Dear B1ZZYL1ZZY,

I cut my fennel to the ground. Within a short period of time, the fennel is about eight inches tall. In our area, the fennel attracts aphids. I planted garlic next to them and I haven't seen any aphids on my fennel. Will try to send a photo taken on November 23.

Thanks,

Chuck

They look like healthy little plants to me. Hope the garlic continutes to work against the aphids.

If I get a chance I'll try photographing the wild fennel here to show you what it's like in its natural habitat. Its raining today so maybe tomorrow.