Fennel Seeds, Mammouth
Fennel Seeds, Mammouth
A pair of Mammouth Fennel bulbs sitting on a white background.
A single Mammouth Fennel bulb sitting on a white background.
A trio of Mammouth Fennel bulbs lined up in a row on white background.
A Mammouth Fennel bulb with the foliage on a white background.
Sauteed fennel bulb in a yellow bowl with a whole bulb on a bed of fennel foliage.
Fennel Seeds, Mammouth
Fennel Seeds, Mammouth
A pair of Mammouth Fennel bulbs sitting on a white background.
A single Mammouth Fennel bulb sitting on a white background.
A trio of Mammouth Fennel bulbs lined up in a row on white background.
A Mammouth Fennel bulb with the foliage on a white background.
Sauteed fennel bulb in a yellow bowl with a whole bulb on a bed of fennel foliage.

Fennel Seeds,
Mammouth

SKU: #HB370Min. seed count: 100
Price
Regular price $3.00
Regular price $0.00 Sale price $3.00
Save $-3
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Description

This Sicilian favorite wins top marks for both size and taste. A stunning fennel with broad white stalks and large, full bulbs that practically glow in the garden. This is the variety long favored in Sicily and the south of Italy, and it’s easy to see why. The flavor is exceptional, fresh, juicy, and complex, with notes of bergamot, pine, and sweet citrus. It’s our top choice for raw eating. Shaved thin into salads, it brings brightness and depth like no other. Perfect for Sicilian fennel and orange salad, a timeless dish of sweet oranges, crisp fennel, briny olives, red onion, and a drizzle of olive oil. Rooted in southern Italian tradition, it’s a refreshing burst of bold, bright flavor. Grows beautifully and bolts more slowly than most others we've tried. Plant fennel in early spring or late summer to avoid heat stress, which triggers bolting. Keep soil consistently moist and cool, and avoid disturbing the roots when transplanting. 

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Foeniculum vulgare
Life Cycle
Annual
Sun Requirement
Full sun
Days to Germinate
7–10
Days to Maturity
80–90
Planting Depth
¼ in.
Plant Spacing
8–12 in.
Ideal Temperature
70°F
Frost Hardy
Yes

When to Grow

Plant Mammouth in early spring, or again in late summer, to avoid the heat stress that triggers bolting. Sow the seed 1/4 inch deep; it germinates in 7 to 10 days at a germination temperature of 68 to 85 F. Sow directly where the plants will grow when you can, and if you do transplant, avoid disturbing the long taproot. Broad white stalks and full bulbs size up in 80 to 90 days.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Seeds will germinate in 7-10 days.
  • They can be direct sown or transplanted. (Be aware that the long taproot dislikes disturbance, so don't let them become root bound!)
  • Surface sow seeds and cover with 1/8-1/4 inch soil.
  • Ideal germination temperature is 68-85 F.

How to Grow

  • Fennel prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
  • Sow 2 inches apart, and thin seedlings to 6-8 inches apart.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • There are no significant pests of fennel.
  • If you choose to grow fennel for its large, swollen stems, be sure to choose the Florence variety. When the bulb is about the size of a golf ball, blanch the stems by hilling up the soil around the bulb.

How to Save Seeds

  • Fennel requires 1/2 mile isolation from other fennel varieties or dill, otherwise it will become cross pollinated!
  • If you do not have space to isolate, try a bagging or caging technique and hand pollinate.
  • Collecting seeds is easy: simply allow seed heads to turn brown and dry, then cut the stalks and place in a paper bag and shake the seeds free.
  • Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.

FAQ

Does Mammouth bolt easily?

It bolts more slowly than most others we have tried. Even so, plant in early spring or late summer to avoid heat stress, and keep the soil consistently moist and cool.

How is it best eaten?

Raw is our top choice. Shaved thin into salads it brings brightness and depth, with a fresh, juicy, complex flavor carrying notes of bergamot, pine, and sweet citrus. It is the fennel for a Sicilian fennel and orange salad with olives, red onion, and olive oil.

What spacing and site does it need?

Sow about 2 inches apart and thin seedlings to 8 to 12 inches apart; these broad-stalked Sicilian bulbs need the room to size up. Full sun and well-drained soil.
FREE SHIPPING IN THE U.S.A.
Alternate domestic shipping options available at checkout.
You may also like