Fennel is a perennial pleasant-smelling herb with yellow flowers. It is native to the Mediterranean but is now found throughout the world. Dried fennel seeds are often used in cooking as an anise-like spice. Fennel's dried ripe seeds and oil are used to make medicine. Fennel is used by mouth for excessive crying in infants (colic) indigestion (dyspepsia) menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) and symptoms of menopause but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. In foods and beverages fennel oil and fennel seed are used as flavoring agents.