Sombu, saunf in Hindi, is fennel, a tall, feathery herb of the carrot family whose sweet, anise-scented fruits are chewed after meals and cooked into Kashmiri, Bengali and Tamil dishes. Gujarat and Rajasthan grow most of India’s fennel. Florence fennel, the bulb vegetable of Italy, is a variety of the same species. Its sweet taste comes from anethole.
- Botanical name
- Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
- Family
- Apiaceae
- Tamil
- Sombu
- Hindi
- Saunf
- Sanskrit
- Miśreya
- Parts used
- Dried fruit, Sometimes bulb and leaf in other cuisines
- Habit
- Tall perennial umbellifer grown for its sweet dried fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Sombu
It is a tall perennial, often one to two metres, with smooth, blue-green, hollow stems.
The leaves are divided into very fine, thread-like segments.
Yellow flowers grow in large, flat umbels.
The fruits are oblong, greenish-yellow and ridged, larger and greener than cumin.
Dill looks similar but has a different smell and flatter fruits.
The whole plant smells of anise when brushed.
Traditional use of Sombu
Kitchen
Roasted or sugar-coated saunf is chewed after meals as mukhwas.
Indian food practice
Kitchen
Ground fennel flavours Kashmiri rogan josh and goes whole into Bengali panch phoron.
Kashmiri and Bengali food practice
Household
Fennel water is given for indigestion and colic in many homes.
Indian household practice
Modern notes on Sombu
Anethole gives fennel its sweet, anise-like flavour.
Fennel also contains estragole, and European regulators advise caution with fennel tea for infants and in pregnancy.
Small trials have tested fennel for infant colic and period pain.
Unjha in Gujarat is also India’s main fennel market.
Sombu safety
Fennel is safe as a spice. Avoid giving fennel teas or oils regularly to babies, and in pregnancy, without medical advice.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to the Mediterranean.
Bees and hoverflies visit its umbels.
It has become a roadside weed in some countries.
Related plants
Also in Apiaceae
Questions about Sombu
Is saunf the same as anise?
No. Anise is Pimpinella anisum, though they taste similar.
Why chew fennel after meals?
It freshens the breath and is believed to help digestion.
Is fennel bulb the same plant?
Yes, a variety of the same species.
Is fennel tea safe for babies?
Regular use is not advised without a doctor.
Where is Sombu grown?
Mainly Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Sources
- Foeniculum vulgare Mill. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q43511 (Foeniculum vulgare)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.