Anise

Sun

Full sun; choose a warm, sheltered position, especially where summers are cool.

Water

Keep the seedbed evenly moist, then water established plants when the surface soil dries. Avoid waterlogged soil.

Soil

Well-drained, moderately fertile soil, preferably neutral to slightly alkaline; avoid heavy, wet ground.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Flowers

Summer; small white flowers in loose, umbrella-shaped clusters.

Foliage

Green, aromatic leaves; lower leaves are broad and lobed, while upper leaves are finely divided.

Growth

Fast; flowers and sets seed in one growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Sow directly after the last frost once the soil has warmed; its taproot dislikes transplanting.
• Thin seedlings to 6-9 in (15-23 cm) apart.
• Water during prolonged dry spells, particularly while plants establish and begin flowering.
• Add a little compost before sowing; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages leaves rather than seed.
• Keep young plants weed-free and use twiggy supports if stems lean in exposed sites.

Pruning. No routine pruning is needed. Snip young leaves sparingly, and leave flower heads intact if you want seed.

Pick a few young leaves once plants are established, without stripping the stems. Cut seed heads when the seeds turn grey-brown, usually about four months after sowing, before they begin falling; finish drying them in paper bags indoors, then rub out and store the fully dry seeds.

Early spring

Choose a sunny, sheltered bed and prepare a fine seedbed with a little compost.

Spring

After frost risk has passed and soil has warmed, sow seeds about 0.25 in (6 mm) deep.

Late spring

Thin seedlings to 6-9 in (15-23 cm) apart and remove competing weeds.

Summer

Water during dry spells and pick young leaves sparingly.

Late summer

Check seed heads frequently and cut them as seeds turn grey-brown.

Autumn

Finish drying and cleaning seed, then remove spent plants.

• Plant in a sunny herb bed near paths where leaves are easy to pick.
• Use small groups among vegetables to bring white flowers and beneficial insects into a kitchen garden.
• Combine with calendula and other annual herbs for an informal cottage-garden display.
• Grow in a deep container in a sheltered courtyard, sowing directly into the final pot.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Herb parterre, Edible landscape, Sensory garden and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Calendula, Coriander, Parsley, Chamomile and Lettuce.

Wildlife: The small, open flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies and small beneficial wasps.

• Poor seed ripening in cool or short summers: sow promptly after frost in the warmest sheltered spot; grow mainly for leaves where summers are too short.
• Aphids on young shoots: wash off with water and encourage natural predators rather than spraying open flowers.
• Powdery mildew: space plants for airflow, water the soil rather than foliage, and remove badly affected growth.
• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or use a raised bed, and avoid frequent watering of already damp ground.

Leaves and seeds are not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses in ordinary culinary amounts, although allergies can occur. Concentrated anise essential oil is not equivalent to the culinary herb and can be harmful if swallowed; keep it away from children and pets.

• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

  Fennel is usually much taller, with yellow flower clusters and feathery leaves throughout; anise has white flowers and broad, lobed lower leaves.

• Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

  Anise hyssop has square stems, opposite toothed leaves and upright purple flower spikes, rather than anise's white umbrella-shaped flower clusters.

• Star anise (Illicium verum)

  Star anise is an evergreen woody tree with leathery leaves and star-shaped fruits; culinary anise is a small annual herb with individual ridged seeds.

Anise and the botanical epithet anisum derive from the ancient Greek name anison for this aromatic herb.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown directly into its final position after frost. Use fresh seed for dependable germination; seedlings are slow to establish if their taproots are disturbed.

Accepted botanical name

Pimpinella anisum

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Cyprus, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine and Turkey.

Measured

Soil pH 7.5 to 8. Average height 45 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.