‘Swallowtail Fennel’ Butterfly Flower Seeds

Swallowtail Fennel is equal parts airy ornament and working pollinator plant. Filigreed blue-green foliage develops coppery tips, then rises into lacy gold umbels on 4–5-foot stems.

The leaves provide food for swallowtail caterpillars, while the flowers offer nectar and pollen to butterflies, ladybugs, lacewings, and other beneficial insects. Anise-scented fronds are edible in salads and tea, and the golden pollen is prized as a seasoning.

• Botanical name: Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’
• Life cycle: Perennial
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–9
• Exposure: Full sun
• Sowing: Direct sow after hard frost or start indoors 4–6 weeks early
• Planting depth: 1/2 in.
• Germination: 14–21 days
• Mature height: 4–5 ft.
• Final spacing: 18 in.
• Approximate seed count: 120

Plant enough to share: harvest some aromatic foliage, but leave generous stems for caterpillars and a crown of flowers for adult pollinators. Browse more wildlife-friendly options in our flower seed packets.