- Hardiness
- Zones 5 to 9
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 3 to 5 ft
Growing tip. Keep it away from dill, which it cross-pollinates. Another host plant for swallowtail caterpillars.
When to plant bronze fennel by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Plant outside: Apr 18 to May 16 | Too cold |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Plant outside: Apr 14 to May 12 | Too cold |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Plant outside: Apr 10 to May 8 | Too cold |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 3 | Comes back |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Plant outside: Apr 3 to May 1 | Comes back |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Plant outside: Apr 1 to Apr 29 | Comes back |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Plant outside: Mar 25 to Apr 22 | Comes back |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Plant outside: Mar 19 to Apr 16 | Comes back |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Plant outside: Mar 8 to Apr 5 | Comes back |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 | Comes back |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 | Comes back |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Plant outside: Feb 2 to Mar 2 | Comes back |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Plant outside: Jan 4 to Feb 1 | Comes back |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
Similar herbs
RosemaryFull sun · Zones 7 to 10Common thymeFull sun · Zones 5 to 9Greek oreganoFull sun · Zones 5 to 9Garden sageFull sun · Zones 5 to 8French tarragonFull sun · Zones 4 to 8LemongrassFull sun · Zones 10 to 11
More for your zone: zone 5 herbs, zone 6 herbs, zone 7 herbs, zone 8 herbs, zone 9 herbs.
Frequently asked questions
What zone does bronze fennel grow in?
Bronze fennel is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Elsewhere it is grown as an annual. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does bronze fennel need?
Full sun. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.