Is the fennel that keeps being suggested in guilds the same thing as dog fennel that we have in the south? When I hear fennel, I think of Dog fennel but it doesn't seem to describe the same thing.
I am interested in adding it to my guild but I can't figure out if this is a similar organism. Anyone know?
That "dog fennel" is not the fennel in the other pic 99% sure.
however it may still do a similar thing, does it have a tap root and smell of aniseed and have umbel flowers that hoverflies like?
Whelp. I have jumped in the deep end. I have no idea what you said. Does it smell like what and look like who? To be honest, I don't think I've seen it flower. I'll let it grow and make sure but I've never recalled a flower from these.
Dog fennel, or dogweeds as we called them growing up, have very many, very small flowers, but are not the anise/licorice tasting plant that I want in my garden. Butterflies or their younger incarnations love them and like to put cocoons on them... if my inner child remembers correctly.
Well.. I feel obligated to share something here... I spoke when I had no idea about fennel being added to guilds. I just saw a post on another forum where dog fennel had taken up residence in the walkways of a normally kempt garden and insect pests were not their usual pesty selves. Okay... now I'm interested in seeing if they keep squash bugs away from my squash. Next year I suppose.. unless I find a likely potential transplant victim that won't mind a severed tap root too much.
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