Romanesco Fennel

Florence Fennel, an Italian, aniseed flavored bulb vegetable. It needs to be sown after mid-summer to form big bulbs, otherwise it will bolt. It grows well both outdoors and under cover. The bulbs can be eaten raw, or cooked and are excellent steamed and served with fish, as a salad with orange or roasted with other vegetables. It will flower in the second year and produce large yellow flowers from which the pollen can be collected and used as a flavoring in cooking. The seeds will mature in autumn and can also be used as a flavouring or for tea. I should have removed the slug before taking this picture, but slugs don't damage fennel much which is a bonus.

Average seeds per Gardener packet 150

Average seeds per Grower packet 1500