'Carosella Perpetua' Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare subsp. piperitum Origin: Italy, via Spain Improvement status: Cultivar Seeds per packet: ~70 Germination tested 11/2024: 80%  Life cycle: Perennial EFN INTRODUCTION. "Carosella" is an Italian word (a feminized version of the word for "carousel") used mainly to describe a wilder form of fennel than the "Florence"-type bulbing fennels. In English these fennels are sometimes called "bitter fennel." The young shoots and sprouts are used in cooking or salads, but the main event is the seeds (and the pollen). This particular variety is a new release from EFN, from plants that have survived four winters in the ground here in New Jersey (and one in a greenhouse before we learned it would survive outside) — which is why we've dubbed it 'Carosella Perpetua', which means "Perpetual Fennel." The majority of our original seedlings died, so we hope these last few survivors have genes for cold-hardiness and longer perenniality. It's not unusual for fennel to perennialize (it is gen