Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, San Diego, California

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The first time I saw this plant was on a local hike alongside a hiking trail. It had a striking appearance: lush green foliage that lacked traditional leaves, juicy-looking stalks, multiple trunks, and nearly perfect radial symmetry.

Now I know that this plant is fennel, a champion invader of the chaparral in California from the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe. Fennel has been used for ages as an herb and food source by peoples such as the ancient Greeks. Fennel is also known by the names anise, aniseed, and sweet fennel. Fennel grows out of large, onion-like bulb roots that can be eaten. All parts of the fennel plant are used by people for seasoning, medicine, pest repellants, and food.

Fennel is a perennial plant that is said to grow up to a height of 3.5 meters, and while I've certainly seen specimens (in this video) that were much taller than me and were perhaps slightly under 3 meters in height, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of even larger specimens in prime conditions, such as near watered landscapes. As in the case of wild mustard, invasive weeds seem to do best where the soil has been disrupted by human activity, allowing them to gain a foothold. Fennel grows up to an altitude of 600 meters in Mediterranean climates. I've seen invasive fennel on every trail I've walked on in San Diego; it's a spectacularly successful invasive species that thrives here and establishes itself quickly while propagating itself through roots or seeds that can hitchhike on human clothing and vehicles. There are no known biological control agents for fennel and any attempts to remove fennel have only resulted in rapid displacement by other invasive plants.

In a survival situation, this plant would have many uses. In some cultures it is believed to enhance vision, which is important when you are malnourished and have no vitamins on hand.