Fennel

At a glance

Origin / distribution: China, Haiti, Europe, UK, Turkey, Iraq, Mexico, Malaya

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Abdomen, Abortifacient, Ache(Back), Ache(Stomach)

Science studied: ALUMINUM, APIOLE, ARGININE, ASCORBIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Apiaceae

Scientific name: Foeniculum vulgare

Common names: Fennel, Echter Fenchel, Echter Fenchel (DE), Eneldo, Esmeldo (ES); Fennel (EN), Fenchel, Fennikel, Fenouil commun, Fenouil commun, Lani, Anis doux, Fenouil

POWO: 842680-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in China, Elsewhere, Haiti, Europe, UK, Turkey, Iraq, Mexico and 9 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Abdomen
• Abortifacient
• Ache(Back)
• Ache(Stomach)
• Aerophagia
• Amenorrhea
• Anodyne
• Balsamic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• China
• Elsewhere
• Haiti
• Europe
• UK
• Turkey
• Iraq
• Mexico
• Malaya
• Spain
• Dominican Republic
• Japan*

Documented cultural uses

• Abdomen
• Abortifacient
• Ache(Back)
• Ache(Stomach)
• Aerophagia
• Amenorrhea
• Anodyne
• Balsamic
• Bite(Snake)
• Cancer
• Carminative
• Colic

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Abdomen · China · "
• Abortifacient · Elsewhere · "
• Ache(Back) · China · "
• Ache(Stomach) · China · "
• Aerophagia · Haiti · "
• Amenorrhea · Elsewhere · "
• Anodyne · China · "
• Bite(Snake) · China · "
• Cancer · Europe · "
• Cancer · UK · "
• Carminative · Haiti · "
• Carminative · China · "
• Carminative · Elsewhere · "
• Carminative · Turkey · "
• Carminative · Iraq · "
• Colic · Haiti · "
• Colic · Mexico · "
• Dermatosis · Malaya · "
• Digestive · Spain · "
• Digestive · Turkey · "
• Diuretic · Dominican Republic · "
• Diuretic · Haiti · "
• Dysmenorrhea · China · "
• Dyspepsia · China · "

66 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Organic Fertilization and Biostimulants Improve Growth, Yield, and Essential Oil Production in Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): A Field Study. · 2026 source ↗
• Mining of terpene synthases in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and application of limonene and pinene synthase in engineered Escherichia coli. · 2026 source ↗
• Composition of Foeniculum vulgare cuticular waxes: Chain length and isomer distributions of compounds with mid-chain hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ALUMINUM
• APIOLE
• ARGININE
• ASCORBIC-ACID
• ASH
• BENZOIC-ACID
• CARBOHYDRATES
• BETA-CAROTENE
• CERYL-ALCOHOL
• CHOLINE
• CHROMIUM
• 1,8-CINEOLE
• CINNAMIC-ACID
• CITRIC-ACID
• COLUMBIANETIN
• COPPER

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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