Fennel is a plant with feathery leaves and a bulb that tastes a bit like licorice. People use its seeds and leaves as a herb and its bulb as a vegetable in cooking.
The word comes from Old English “fenol” or “finol,” which itself came from Latin “feniculum,” meaning “little hay.” The name likely refers to its fine, feathery leaves that look like dried grass.
Fennel is in the same plant family as carrots and parsley, even though it tastes totally different. In ancient times, people believed fennel could give strength and courage, so warriors and athletes sometimes used it like a “power herb.”
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