Fennel similar spices – anise, star anise, and coriander. In 2014, India produced 60% of the world total of fennel, with China and Bulgaria as leading secondary producers (table). Many species in the family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae are superficially similar to fennel, and some, such as poison hemlock, are toxic, so it is unwise, and potentially extremely dangerous, to use any part of any of these plants as an herb or vegetable unless it can be positively identified as being edible. Dill, coriander, and caraway are similar-looking herbs, but shorter-growing than fennel, reaching only . Dill has thread-like, feathery leaves and
Fennel flavoring in some natural toothpastes. The seeds are used in cookery and sweet desserts. Many cultures in India, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Middle East use fennel seed in cooking. It is one of the most important spices in Kashmiri Pandit and Gujarati cooking. It is an essential ingredient of the Assamese/Bengali/Oriya spice mixture "panch phoron" and in Chinese five-spice powders. In many parts of India, roasted fennel seeds are consumed as "mukhwas", an after-meal digestive and breath freshener, or candied as comfit. Fennel leaves are used in some parts of India as leafy green vegetables either by themselves or mixed