Differences Between Star Anise and Fennel

Star anise, also known as Chinese star anise or large spice, has a strong and distinctive aroma and is a traditional Chinese spice. Fennel, on the other hand, is divided into two types: large fennel (which is actually star anise) and small fennel. Both are essential ingredients for cooking fish, stewing meat, and making braised foods. Large fennel refers to star anise, while the seeds of small fennel are used as a seasoning and go by names like fennel seeds, small fennel, or fragrant cumin. Let’s take a look at the differences between star anise and fennel!

Differences in Botanical Classification

Fennel: Fennel belongs to the plant kingdom, Angiosperms, Dicotyledons, the order Apiales, the family Apiaceae, and the genus Foeniculum. It is a perennial herb.

Star Anise: Star anise belongs to the plant kingdom, Angiosperms, Dicotyledons, the order Illiciales, the family Illiciaceae, and the genus Illicium. It is an evergreen tree.

Differences in Physical Characteristics

1. Star Anise: Star anise trees can grow 10-20 meters tall, with gray to reddish-brown bark and irregular cracks. The branches are densely packed and spread out in a radial pattern. The leaves are thick, leathery, and alternate or grow in clusters of 3-6 at the tips of branches. The flowers are bisexual and grow alone in the leaf axils. The fruit is star-shaped, consisting of 8 radiating follicle segments, with flat, oval seeds. The flowering period is in spring and autumn, and the fruiting season extends from early autumn to the following spring.
2. Fennel: Fennel grows to a height of 0.4-2 meters. It has upright stems, with membranous edges on the leaf sheaths. The leaves are broadly triangular, and the flower clusters are compound umbels, growing at the top or on the sides. The fruit is elongated. Fennel flowers from May to June, and its fruiting period is from July to September.

Differences in Growing Regions

1. Star Anise: Also known as Chinese star anise or large spice, it grows in subtropical warm and humid valleys and is found in regions like Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Guangxi's Wuzhou City is the top producer of star anise in China and is known as the "home of star anise."
2. Fennel: Also known as fennel seeds, small fennel, or fragrant cumin, it prefers warm climates and grows well in sandy loam. It is native to the Mediterranean region but is now cultivated throughout various provinces in China.

Differences in Medicinal Properties

1. Star Anise: Star anise has a spicy taste and warm properties. It enters the liver, kidney, spleen, and stomach meridians and has the functions of warming the body, regulating qi, and improving digestion. It is used to treat symptoms like cold-induced abdominal pain, lower back and knee pain, vomiting caused by cold in the stomach, abdominal discomfort, and cold-related foot pain.
2. Fennel: Fennel has a spicy taste and warm properties. It enters the kidney, bladder, and stomach meridians and is known for stimulating appetite, regulating qi, and dispelling cold. It is used to treat cold in the middle burner, reduced appetite, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain due to cold, hernia pain, testicular swelling and pain, stagnation of qi in the spleen and stomach, and bloating and abdominal discomfort.