The Fennel Florence Finocchio, 'Foenicucum vulgare var. azoricum', is grown as a vegetable for the succulent, sweet, licorice-flavored bulbs or as a herb for the delicately flavored feathery foliage. If you have never had fennel bulb, you are missing a treat. It can be eaten raw or used very effectively in soups, deep fried, in pasta or sauteed. Fennel does best in well drained, sandy soils with lots of organic matter. They need to be kept moist.
