Fennel & Ginkgo

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***Fennel***

(Foeniculum vulgare)

Full Sun, Pot Suitable, Culinary Uses, Tea, and Essential Oil.

Ideal Soil: Humusy and well-drained.

Parts Used: Whole plant

Medicinal: Indigestion, colic, sore throat, gum disease, and lactation.

Culinary: With fish; in salads; as vegetable.

Grow licorice-scented fennel as a tall ornamental in the garden and for its culinary uses. The leaves and seeds are also used in cosmetics and herbal medicines.

Nectar-rich fennel flowers attract beneficial, such as pollinating wasps, to the garden.

Every part of the fennel plant, including the onion-like bulb is edible.

To promote leaf growth, remove seedheads. To preserve leaf flavor, add at the end of the recipe.

GROWING GUIDELINES:

Sow seed shallowly outdoors in spring or fall. Keep moist.

Growth Habit: Perennial; height to 4 feet [1.2 m].

Flowers: Summer; small, aromatic, yellow blossoms.

HARVESTING AND STORING:

Snip leaves before blooming. Use fresh or freeze. Cut ripe seed heads, place in paper bag, and shake. Dry on paper.

***Ginkgo***

(Ginkgo biloba)

Full Sun, Pot Suitable, Culinary Uses, and Essential Oil.

Ideal Soil: Deep, moist, and humus-rich.

Parts Used: Leaves and seeds

Medicinal: Allergic inflammation, asthma, and blood circulation.

Culinary: Nuts are roasted. May cause vomiting.

An ancient species of plant that is often referred to as a "living fossil", ginkgo contains a chemical that is important in blocking allergic responses.

The pyramid-shaped ginkgo is also known as a maidenhair tree. Nurture young plants with organic mulch.

The fan-shaped leaves measure up to 5 inches [12 cm] across and turn yellow in the fall.

GROWING GUIDELINES:

Plants are male or female. Take cuttings of male in summer; females bear evil-smelling fruit. Sow ripe seeds in fall.

Growth Habit: Deciduous; height to 120 feet [36 m].

Flowers: Spring; inconspicuous green blooms on females.

HARVESTING AND STORING:

Pick leaves in fall as they change color; dry. Cook seed kernels. Store both in airtight containers.

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