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 ("Ferula communis") is a large, coarse plant, with a pungent aroma, which grows wild in the Mediterranean region and is only occasionally grown in gardens elsewhere. Other species of the genus "Ferula" are also commonly called giant fennel, but they are not culinary herbs. In North America, fennel may be found growing in the same habitat and alongside natives osha ("Ligusticum porteri") and "Lomatium" species, useful medicinal relatives in the parsley family. Most "Lomatium" species have yellow flowers like fennel, but some are white flowered and resemble poison hemlock. "Lomatium" is an important historical food plant of Native Americans known