Axel, I generally agree that nowadays no one goes to the expense of patenting and releasing a variety unless they're quite certain that they can consistantly obtain high quality in a wide range of climates, but that doesn't mean that they don't vary greatly in quality season to season. Goldrush was released as a commercial variety and it might just still make it (even if it's too late for royalties). The season before last my Braeberns were exquisite while this year they were completely worthless- really annoying because I had a great crop. The person here complaining about the quality of Goldrush this year doesn't seem to realize that we barely had a summer in NY last season, and in Z5 there just wasn't enough heat to properly ripen Goldrush. Of course I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

Winter sowed it a couple of years ago and in the first year I found it to be a 'Gee, I kind of like this one!' plant for it's flowers and especially for the scent. Where I placed it at first it didn't thrive in the second year due to poor soil. I was somewhat disappointed and missed it's rigorous nature of the first year. I've kept the initial plants where they were and last year they did much better, but the surprise came when I found some which had reseeded a few feet away. One of them was a gangbuster and right against my walking path. I can't think of a day when I did not see a butterfly on it as I passed and I would often get the scent of the licorice on my fingers to smell as I would peruse the gardens. More seeds were gathered to winter sow this coming year. Definitely a must in the gardens. Pest and disease resistant plant which smells nice and attracts beautiful pollinators to the gardens. :O)

I grow both the bronze and the Florence. I also grow Rue which they consume just as readily as the fennel, and Zizia aptera as a back up, which they sometimes lay eggs on and eat when the fennels in the front yard are chewed down. Differentiating between the "varieties" of fennel is somewhat confusing because there is a lot of conflicting information floating around on the web. However, Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce is the most commonly grown fennel, and is used for its seeds, foliage, and the stalks (similar in texture and eaten like celery). It is perennial in temperate climates, like Oklahoma. The Bronze is a close relative, F. vulgare var. purpurescens, used in the same fashion as the dulce. F. vulgare var. azoricum is used for seeds, foliage, and the bulbous base is used as a vegetable (you've probably seen in the produce section of the supermarket). Calling them Florence fennel leads to more confusion cuz I find both referred to as Florence, depending on the writer. The butterflies don't care which one you use. thank goodness! The azoricum is less hardy than the dulce, but both are short-lived perennials IMHO, and are borderline hardy in Oklahoma, where winter extremes are variable from year to year. The good thing is that they do self-sow readily. That said, one year I had to remove the flowers due to a heavy wasp invasion. They loved the fennel flowers and the baby BSTs. I personally like the bulb fennel the best because produces more lush foliage which in a good winter stays green and full. I just don't use the bulbs. It has lasted 4 or 5 years max for me. The Bronze seems more prone to winter die back than the bulb, and I have to generally buy new plants. So, there you have my explanation and interpretation on the performance of fennel in my zone 7a garden. Susan

I wonder if the fronds could be used to make a fennel pesto? Could be interesting. There was an Iron Chef episode in which fennel was the secret ingredient. They even used fennel pollen, which I would never have thought of doing. I wish they'd post recipes, but they don't. I hope you get that garden plot, Linda, but even if you don't, most veggies, even fennel, can be grown in containers on your patio if you get enough light. I got my son to make Alice Water's fennel and parmesan salad for Christmas dinner. It just used the bulb, but oh, it was sooooo good. I was skeptical, being so simple, but it was really, really good. I checked my Deborah Madison cookbook, and she says she hasn't found much use for the stalks other than for soup stocks - the stalks for stocks, heh heh. Barbara Kafka, in her book, Vegetable Love, recommends drying the stalks, and using them on top of the coals when grilling fish. She dries her own by hanging them in bunches in a dark place. She differentiates between the wild fennel that grows in California and along the shores of the Mediterranean and Florence Fennel, which is the one with the "bulb." As for the bronze fennel, I love the flavor of it's leaves. One of my favorite uses for it is to saute carrot coins in butter, with salt and pepper to taste, till they're just tender, then add a sprinkling of diced bronze fennel leaves and serve. Here's the shaved fennel salad, which I got from the blog, Orangette. The commentary preceding the recipe is hers. Shaved Fennel Salad with Mushrooms and Parmesan Adapted from Alice Waters and Julia Child Part of what makes this salad feel special is its elegant, layered presentation. But if youre short on time or just dont feel like fussing you can certainly toss it in a bowl like any other salad. As for variations, you can try adding a dash of truffle oil for some sophistication and snazz, or, if youre feeling frisky, try replacing the mushrooms with paper-thin slices of Asian pear. We thought of that a couple of days ago, when we shared an Asian pear after big plates of this salad. The mingling of flavors was fantastic. Needless to say, its next on our list. 1 medium fennel bulb, about 10-12 ounces 5 or 6 small mushrooms, preferably crimini or white button Good-quality olive oil A lemon Sea salt, such as Maldon A hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Freshly ground black pepper First, prepare the fennel. If it still has its feathery fronds, cut them off at the base of their stalks, and discard them. Rinse the bulb under cool water, and dry it thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, trim away any bruises or brown spots on the very outermost "skin" of the fennel. Cut the bulb in half from root to stalk, and trim the root end. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice the fennel as thinly you possibly can. Now, prepare the mushrooms. Wipe away any dirt on their surface with a damp paper towel, and trim off and discard the stem end. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice the mushrooms very thinly. Assemble the salad in layers on a large platter or, if you prefer, on individual plates. First, make a layer of fennel slices. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Then place a layer of mushrooms on top of the fennel. Drizzle lightly with lemon juice, and season with salt. Using a vegetable peeler, cut thin shavings of the cheese, and arrange them on top of the mushrooms. Add another layer of fennel, followed by a light drizzle of oil, and then another layer of mushrooms, lemon juice, salt, and cheese. Repeat until you run out of fennel and mushrooms; you might have two layers of each, or you might have more; it doesnt much matter. Finish the salad with a good drizzle of lemon juice and a hearty splash of oil, and garnish with a few shavings of cheese. Serve immediately, with salt and pepper to taste. Yield: 2 quite generous servings, or 4 side servings Sally