Herbs
Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum'
Bronze fennel
Also known as: Purple-leaf fennel
Feathery foliage emerges bronze-purple and matures dark gray-green. Tall yellow flowerheads give an airy effect. Cut dead stems in fall or winter.
At a glance
- Sun
- Full sun
- Mature size
- Height: About 6 ft.; can grow taller · Spread: 20–40 in.
- Water
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Life cycle
- Herbaceous perennial; foliage dies back seasonally
- Bloom
- Yellow summer umbels.
Sizes & prices
- 4.5$5.99
Catalog updated September 8, 2026. This is not a live stock count; please call to confirm availability and price.
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Resistance & tolerances
- Wet soil
- Moist soil with drainage.
Pollinators & wildlife
- Attracts
- Pollinators
- Caterpillar host
- Swallowtail
Culinary uses
- Use
- Anise-flavored foliage; seeds flavor breads and cakes.
- Type
- Herb fennel, not bulb-forming Florence fennel.
Growing & care
- Spread
- Remove spent heads to limit self-seeding.
- Harvest
- Snip leaves and leafy stems as needed during active growth. Harvest after dew dries; dry or freeze suitable cuttings for later use.
Sources & photo credits
University of Minnesota Extension
Photo: Acabashi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Image notes: cultivar photograph; resized, not cropped. Not a photograph of current nursery stock.
Reviewed September 21, 2026. Growing conditions vary by location.