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Herb growing guide
Anise (aniseed) is a small annual herb of the carrot family grown for its fragrant seeds and leaves. It germinates easily in mild soil but resents transplanting, so sow it where it will grow and give it a long, mild season to ripen seed.
Anise seed is the dried fruit sold as aniseed. For sowing, use seed from a seed packet, not kitchen spice, which may be old and of unknown germination. Star anise, the star-shaped spice, comes from a completely different tree (Illicium verum) and cannot be grown this way.
Not needed. The ribbed seed coat takes up water without help.
Not needed. Non-dormant anise seed germinates best at 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) without any cold period.
Optional. Ontario crop guidance cites Saskatchewan research in which priming seed in aerated water at room temperature for 24-36 hours, then air-drying it before sowing, improved germination. For a garden row, an overnight soak followed by prompt sowing is a simpler version.
In seed tests at the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, constant 20 and 25 °C (68 and 77 °F) gave the best germination of non-dormant seed, while a constant 30 °C (86 °F) was not suitable. Field sowing is recommended once soil is above 10 °C (50 °F). In India, wait until the post-monsoon heat has eased.
Sow shallowly and cover with a thin layer of fine soil. Anise germinates with or without light, so a light covering helps keep the seed moist without slowing germination.
Fertile, well-drained sandy to loamy soil, pH about 6.0-7.5. Avoid heavy, crusting soil, which small seedlings struggle to push through.
Keep the soil evenly moist until emergence. Water stress reduced both germination and seedling vigour in tests, with vigour affected first.
Light is not needed for germination, though it improved seedling vigour in tests. Grow plants in full sun.
Emergence is slow and uneven, and cool or drying soil slows it further. Keep the bed moist and mark the row so you do not hoe out the fine seedlings.
Avoid it if you can: anise dislikes root disturbance and transplants poorly. If your season is too short to ripen seed, start it in individual pots under cover, sow a few extra plants to allow for losses, and plant out without breaking the root ball.
Thin to about 10-20 cm (4-8 in) apart for leaves or 15-25 cm (6-10 in) for seed. Indian trials at the National Research Centre on Seed Spices found 20 x 10 cm (8 x 4 in) spacing gave the highest seed yield. Plants grow 0.5-1 m (20-40 in) tall and may need light support to keep seed heads off the ground.
At Ajmer, Rajasthan, sowing on 15 October gave the highest anise seed yield (892 kg/ha) among sowing dates from mid-October to mid-December; later sowings yielded less. Treat anise as a rabi (winter) crop in the plains.
For seed, cut or pull the plants when the seeds are nearly mature but still slightly green, then let them dry down fully before threshing. Waiting too long lets ripe seed shatter.
Young leaves can be picked once plants are large enough, about 50-70 days after sowing for a fresh-herb crop.
Anise is only moderately frost-hardy (RHS hardiness H3, roughly -5 to 1 °C / 23-34 °F). In hill areas with frost, sow after the last frost so the crop has time to ripen seed.
Sow anise in the cool season for fragrant leaves and your own home-grown aniseed.
No. Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a small annual herb of the carrot family. Star anise is the star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, an evergreen tree in a different family. They share a similar flavour compound but are grown completely differently.
It is not recommended because anise transplants poorly. Sow directly where it will grow; if you must start indoors, use individual pots and plant out without disturbing the roots.
As a rabi crop. Research at Ajmer found mid-October sowing gave the best seed yield, with yields falling as sowing was delayed toward December.
About 100-120 days from sowing. Harvest when the seeds are nearly mature but still slightly green, then dry them fully.
