Scottish growing tool
Florence Fennel Variety Selector: Which One For Your Garden
Every recommendation below traces back to our full Florence Fennel varieties comparison — this page is the fast route to one answer for your specific situation, no clicking through required.
If: The safest choice, one that resists bolting outright or Quick to mature, and I have a sheltered, well-watered spot → Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice or Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice
DragonAGM
Dragon is the best overall pick for Scotland: the clearer bolt-resistant variety of the two AGM holders, with excellent resistance to bolting and yellowing, and the safest default on an exposed or unpredictable site.
If: I can grow under cover (greenhouse or windowsill) for an early crop
RondoAGM
Rondo's real advantage is that it's suitable for growing under cover, sown in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill from late spring, which removes the cold bolting trigger from the equation entirely rather than just tolerating it, and its early-cropping habit gets the bulb harvested before a late-summer cold snap can matter.
If: Quick to mature, and I have a sheltered, well-watered spot → Delicate flavour, medium bulbs, good for an early sowing
Perfection
Bolt-resistant per Gardener's World (not independently confirmed by RHS), with medium bulbs and a delicate aniseed flavour, suited to early sowings if trialling beyond the three AGM-checked varieties.
If: Quick to mature, and I have a sheltered, well-watered spot → Strong flavour
Cantino
Bolt-resistant per Gardener's World (not independently confirmed by RHS), noted for strong flavour, worth trialling for flavour-first growers.
If: Quick to mature, and I have a sheltered, well-watered spot → Very large bulbs
Colossal
Bolt-resistant per Gardener's World (not independently confirmed by RHS), with very large bulbs, for growers prioritising bulb size.
If: Quick to mature, and I have a sheltered, well-watered spot → Something similar to Zefa Fino, worth trialling as an alternative
Amigo
Bolt-resistant per Gardener's World (not independently confirmed by RHS), with regular, slightly flatter bulbs; a similar profile to Zefa Fino, worth trialling as an alternative.
If: Quick to mature, and I have a sheltered, well-watered spot → No particular trait, just the standard quick-maturing pick
Zefa Fino
Zefa Fino carries no AGM and no stated bolt resistance; its advantage is being quicker to mature, a real help in a short season, but it needs a sheltered, well-watered spot to make up for that trade-off.
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