Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Anise is a tender perennial herbaceous flowering plant that is native to the easter Mediterranean region and southwest Asia. This dainty plant with feathery leaves and small umbrella shaped clusters of flowers is part of the Apiaceae family which includes carrots, celery and parsley among others. The most commonly sought after part of this plant are its seeds which have a sweet licorice-like flavor and aroma and can be used as a flavoring, spice or essential oil fragrance for drinks, teas, sausage, perfumes, soaps or herbal medicines. This plant is easy to grow, very low maintenance and can even be grown in large pots for balcony or porch gardeners.
NAME: Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
VARIETY: Anise
DAYS TO MATURITY: 75 – 120 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Perennial
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 4 – 11
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL: Well-draining soil with a pH 6.0 – 7.4
SPACING: 10 – 14 inches
PLANT HEIGHT: 16 – 20 inches
TEMP: 50 – 90ºF
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Anise prefers to be started outdoors in direct soil, but if you wish to start Anise seeds indoors, start them 1 week before your last local spring frost
Use 4 to 7 inch deep cell trays with moistened soil mix and sow 2 to 3 seeds per cell, 1/4 inch deep
Keep these trays in ambient temperatures at or above 65ºF
Germination should occur in 10 to 15 days
After seedlings emerge, remove all but one seedling per cell
As soon as the seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow 3 to 4 inches beneath fluorescent/LED plant lights turned on 15 hours, off for 9 hours, raising the light with growth
Before transplanting outdoors, harden off seedlings for several days. Do this by taking them outside during the day and bringing them in at night (Outside temps should be above 50°F when you start this process)
After the hardening off process, transplant into your garden beds as long as soil temperatures are above 55ºF
Sow seeds outdoors once soil temperatures reach 65ºF, which generally equates to daytime and nighttime temperatures above 60ºF
Sow 1 seed, 1/4 inch deep, spaced 2 inches apart, in rows spaced 12 inches apart, and water in well
Once germination occurs, thin out seedlings so they are spaced roughly 10 to 14 inches apart
Anise needs little attention once established since they are fairly drought tolerant and pest-free
Mulch around the base of the plant to minimize weeds and only water once the soil has nearly dried out.
Choose a location with full sunlight and well draining soil
Provide regular watering to keep the soil evenly moist, especially during dry periods.
Anise prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
Thin seedlings if necessary to ensure proper spacing for optimal growth.
Mulch around the base of the plants to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
To harvest the seeds, wait until the flower head has turned brown and then cut the heads into a paper bag. Let them continue to dry out for another week and once flower heads are thoroughly dried, rub them between your hands to remove the seeds.
Store the seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
