Is fennel a perennial?

Answer 1

Are you talking about the one that you eat or the herb. The herb is a perennial, the veggie is an annual.

Answer 2

can I tell you a funny story about fennel which happened just a few days ago. I put in a few fennel plants in last year to add height to the borders, I think they are attractive, my wife hates them, consequently we have no fennel this year. That is until a few weeks ago when I noticed a fennel, the bronze variety, growing on my car park,between the tarmac and a stone wall, it had obviously reseeded from my plants last year. I nurtued this plant, fed it liquid fertiliser and secured it to the wall to stop wind damage.It was doing marvelously. Anyhow a few days ago the chap came to mow the lawns. I was about to show my prized fennel, when he suddenly reached out, snatched out the fennel, crushed it in his hands and said, offering the ruined plant to my face. 'Smell this mate, its smells of liqourice'. I was taken aback for a sec but soon saw the funny side of it. It did smell a bit like liqourice though. Right sorry about that, fennel has its home in warmer climes than our islands, and will not tolerate a British winter. It can be overwintered away from frost but it is so easy to grow, if you keep lawnmower men away, its not worth it. Earlier this month on a visit to Stokesay
Casle in Shropshire, honestly the weather was hot and sunny', the last nice day, I noticed in the herb garden that there was a lemon coloured fennel growing amidst the green and bronze.I asked the gardener if it was a 'sport' and was told that the 3 varieties were availabe. I think they are statuesque and can be used in borders in an achitectural manner. The roots, seed and leave can all be used in the kitchen, I 've grown the many times but we have never used them for culinary purposes. I'm getting some more next year,don't care what she says.
cheers, hope I have'nt bored you
I nearly forgot, fennel IS a perrenial, but is generally grown as an annual

Answer 3

It's an annual but if you plant it this late it may over winter in mild winters. RScott