Ferula communis
L.
Common Giant Fennel, Giant anise fennel
(c) Mauricio Mercadante, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
(c) Thomas Payne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Konrad and Roland Greinwald, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Vegetable, Flowers
The leaves are edible, though no further details are given.
Where to Find It
It is a Mediterranean plant. It grows in grassy and waste places. It can be in sandy places or on cliffs. Hobart Botanical Gardens.
Africa, Algeria, Australia, Cyprus, East Africa, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean,* Morocco, North Africa, Portugal, Spain, Tasmania, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye,
How to Identify
A large herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 3 m high. It is very robust and has a pungent smell. The stems are stout and hollow. The leaves are divided 3-4 times. They have many bright green thread like lobes. These sheath the base. The upper leaves have smaller blades and larger sheaths. The flower umbels are large and rounded. They are bright yellow-green. The fruit are narrowly oval and flattened. They are 12-15 mm long. They have wings and resin canals.
How to Grow
Succeeds in most soils including dry ones according to one report whilst others say that it requires a deep moist fertile soil in a sunny position. Established plants are drought resistant. This species is hardy to about -10°c, possibly lower if the rootstock is mulched in the winter. A very ornamental plant, though the flowers have a most unpleasant rancid smell. Plants are often monoecious. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance due to their long taproot. They should be planted into their final positions as soon as possible. The sub-species brevifolia is the form used for its gum.
Propagation: Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in autumn in a greenhouse. Alternatively, sow in April in a greenhouse. Prick seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, then plant out into permanent positions while still small, as the plants dislike root disturbance. Provide a protective mulch for at least the first winter outdoors. Division can be carried out in autumn, though this may be inadvisable given the plant's sensitivity to root disturbance.
Medicinal Uses
One report notes that the root yields a gum with medicinal properties, but no further details are given.
Other Uses
A gum known as 'Gum Ammoniac' is obtained by notching the root; it is used as an incense and also has medicinal value. The stems are used in furniture making. The dried pith serves as a tinder, burning very slowly inside the stem, which allows it to be carried alight from one place to another.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Ferula communis, the giant fennel, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. It is related to the common fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), which belongs to the same family. Ferula communis is a tall herbaceous perennial plant. It is found in Mediterranean and East African woodlands and shrublands. It was known in antiquity as laser or narthex.
Names & Synonyms
Boubal, Dog, Freula, Inslal, Nugusa
References (25)
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