Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

This member of the celery family is a well-known herb native to southern Europe and western Asia, but it was also known in ancient China as xiao hui xiang. Fennel was also used in India, Egypt, and Greece. Furthermore, colonists brought it to the New World. In the Middle Ages, it was prized as a vegetable and it is still appreciated for its flavor today. Some herbal references distinguish between sweet and bitter fennel. Although the entire plant is edible, only the fruits ("seeds") and their essential oil are used medicinally.

The fruits are collected in August and September when they are ripe and subsequently, the fruits are dried for further use. In China, it is considered a "wind-dispelling herb," restoring normal stomach function, dispersing cold, and restoring the flow of qi (pronounced chee). Aside from the specifically Chinese concept of qi, these uses are remarkably similar to those in European herbal medicine.

Fennel is an important magical herb that has been used for centuries. It can be used internally as a tea, or sprigs can be carried on the person in sachets or charms for clairvoyance, longevity, fertility, healing, love, purification, and strength. It is also used in this manner to prevent negativity and to provide protection from harmful spells.

In spells, Fennel can be used alone or with other like herbs for courage, divination, cleansing, strength, energy, meditation, virility, psychic protection, and as a means for counter-magic. Hung in doorways or windows, Fennel protects from evil and sorcery; and, placed in keyholes, it protects against spirits of the dead.

Grown around the outside of the home, Fennel provides protection from evil influences and negativity.