COMMENT ARRIVER À DISTINGUER À COUP SÛR LE FENOUIL ET L’ANETH ? Le quotidien du jardin N°196

NewsJardinTV, the channel dedicated to plants, gardens, botany, nature, and gardening, is pleased to present issue 196 of its daily show: "Le Quotidien du Jardin" (The Garden Daily). Patrick Mioulane, editor-in-chief of NewsJardinTV, responds to our subscriber Izy, who asked us the following question: Are fennel and dill different names for the same plant? I don't see the difference. Please let me know... Fennel and dill (also called bastard fennel) are both edible plants, so the confusion isn't too serious. Based on the umbel-like inflorescences of the two plants and the radiating arrangement of their yellow flowers, the distinction is difficult, even though the umbel of dill is slightly rounded, while that of fennel is flat. However, the flowering period differs. Dill blooms between April and July, and fennel between July and October. Although the fine, jagged leaves have a similar appearance, fennel's foliage is denser than dill's, airy, graceful, and flatter. Furthermore, dill rarely exceeds 1 m in height, while fennel can reach 2 m, and only fennel produces a large white bulb at its base. In terms of taste, fennel has a distinctive aniseed-licorice flavor, while dill's is sweet, fresh, herbaceous, and more delicate. Both plants belong to the Apiaceae family (formerly Umbelliferae), but to different genera. The Apiaceae family is named after celery (Apium). A large number of other edible plants: angelica, anise, carrot, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, lovage, parsnip, and parsley are among them. Conversely, some Apiaceae are highly toxic: hemlocks (Aethusa, Cicuta, Conium), water dropwort, and gallic acid, which are distinguished by their lack of hairiness on the stems. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial (or biennial) plant, which further distinguishes it from dill, which is an annual plant. Fennel can therefore be seen in winter while dill has disappeared. • Because Foeniculum vulgare is of Mediterranean origin, it was known to the ancients, and the Greeks called it Marathon. They made it a symbol of victory when they defeated the Persians in 490 BC. ... in a fennel field, a place they, of course, named Marathon! Many legends are associated with fennel, which was considered a magical and aphrodisiac plant, whose seeds were thrown into the fire to ward off demons. The fennel grown as a vegetable for its bulb is the dulce variety (sweet fennel). It resembles wild fennel, but the stems are larger and the leaves less divided. The broad, white petioles form a fleshy sheath around the stem (the bulb). Fennel thrives in a sunny location and cool, deep, calcareous soil rich in humus and nutrients. • For botanists, dill is Anethum graveolens, a name inspired by the Greek "anethon," borrowed from ancient Egyptian, which referred to the plant as well as anise. The species name graveolens comes from the Latin gravis, meaning heavy, and olens, meaning smell, which aptly evokes the strong odor the plant gives off. This annual, native to Asia Minor, has naturalized around the Mediterranean. It develops slender stems with filiform, glaucous-green leaves. The inflorescence is an umbel with between 15 and 30 rays ending in a small, yellow, five-petaled flower. The flower nectar is highly valued by bees. Besides its use as an aromatic plant, especially to accompany fish (think of the famous salmon gravlax), dill is also recognized as a medicinal plant, particularly for its antispasmodic properties (it is said to be very effective in stopping hiccups). Chewing dill seeds after a meal promotes good digestion. Dill thrives in dry, stony, well-drained soil. It is propagated by sowing in April and May, with the seeds germinating in two weeks. When it thrives, dill reseeds naturally and can become invasive. Distinguishing between Apiaceae (umbellifers) isn't always easy. For example, fennel flowers can also be confused with those of the common weed (Smyrnium olusatrum), a plant that is also edible, but whose rather coarse foliage makes them easy to differentiate. Thank you for watching this daily program. We hope you enjoyed our video. Our team hopes you enjoy your time and looks forward to seeing you again on Monday at 7 p.m. for a new episode of our program "LE QUOTIDIEN DU JARDIN." It's on NewsJardinTV and nowhere else! Patrick will answer this question: Do you think it's possible to grow a weigelia in the Nice region, and are there many colors? I mostly see pinks and reds.