How to grow anise
Family Apiaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 5a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun. Ready in 100-120 days.
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
8-12 in
Days to harvest
100-120 days
Hardiness
Zone 5a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant anise
- Start indoors: ~6 weeks before last frost.
- Transplant out: ~1 weeks after last frost.
- Direct sow: ~1 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for anise
Plant with: Coriander.
Avoid near: Carrot, Dill (cross-pollinates and both bolt in competition).
Common pests & problems
Aphid; otherwise rarely bothered.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: Low N, higher P (3-6-6)
Organic options: Compost only in bed prep · Bone meal at sowing · Skip nitrogen top-dress
When to feed: Feed the bed, not the plant. Compost at bed prep is usually enough.
Watch for: Lush tops with weak flavor or poor roots = too much nitrogen; use only well-aged compost.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
Needs a long, warm, frost-free season to set seed; stake plants, as the thin stalks flop once seed heads fill out.
When to plant anise in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for anise
Soil & pH
6.0-7.0
Light, well-drained loam. A warm-season annual sensitive to cold and wet feet.
Compost lightly; anise does not need rich soil and grows leggy with excess nitrogen.
Watering
1 in / week
Even moisture, especially during germination and seed set; avoid waterlogging.
Water when the top inch of soil dries; anise dislikes both drought and standing water.
Knowing when to harvest
- Seed heads (umbels) turn gray-brown and seeds rattle loosely, usually 100-120 days after sowing.
- Cut whole seed heads before seeds shatter and drop on their own.
- Leaves can be harvested young for a milder, licorice-like garnish before the plant bolts to seed.
Storing & keeping
Dry cut seed heads upside down in a paper bag in a warm, airy spot for 1-2 weeks, then thresh and store seed in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to 3 years.
What to expect
Per plant: A few tablespoons to an ounce of dried seed per plant
Troubleshooting anise
Plant never sets seed before frost
Likely cause: Anise needs a long, warm season (100+ frost-free days) and is often started too late
What to do: Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost in short-season climates and transplant carefully, since anise resents root disturbance.
Seeds shatter before harvest
Likely cause: Waiting too long after seed heads brown
What to do: Cut heads as soon as most seeds turn gray-brown rather than waiting for full dry-down on the plant.
Varieties worth the space
Not every name in a seed catalog. These are the ones growers order again, with what each one is actually good at and what it asks of you.
Common anise (species type)
Sold generically as anise seed; distinct named cultivars are uncommon.
Growing anise in containers
5-gallon pot workable for a single plant given its modest taproot, in a warm, sheltered, full-sun spot.
Nutrition
Beta-carotene, vitamin K, luteolin (parsley). A nutrient bargain per square foot.
Common questions
Is anise the same as star anise?
No. Culinary anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an Apiaceae annual grown for seed; star anise is an unrelated tree fruit from an entirely different plant family, though both share a similar licorice flavor compound.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.