ANISE
Other Common Names Include:
Aniseed, sweet cumin, sweet Alice, heal-bite
Latin Name: Pimpinella anisum
Plant Family: Apiaceae
Close Relatives: Cilantro/Coriander, Carrots, Celery, Dill and Parsley
Uses and Markets: Culinary (e.g. fresh herb, spice; adds a liquorice flavour), Medicinal (e.g. treatment of respiratory disorders)
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
Research from Saskatchewan shows that anise germination is improved by priming in aerated water at room temperature for 24 to 36 hours, and then drying in ambient air before seeding.
Propagation method
Seed
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Beginning in late April to mid-May.
Field Transplanting Dates
N/A
In-row spacing
10-20 cm (fresh herb); 15-25 cm (spice).
Between row spacing
20-60 cm (wider spacing between rows of fresh anise).
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
>10°C
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Research from India and Iran has shown an optimal nitrogen rate of 80-100 kg/ha for both leaf and seed yield. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Well drained sand to loam soils.
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Special requirements for growth habit
None
Optimal Temperature Range
18-25°C
Temperature sensitivity
None
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation required under normal Ontario conditions (fresh herb).
Days to harvest
50-70 days (fresh herb); 100-120 days (seed spice).
Specialized equipment
None
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Successive Plantings, Multi-cropping possible (fresh herb). Single Harvest (Seed spice).
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Hand harvest (fresh herb); machine harvest (combine) for seed spice.
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
Harvest during cooler parts of the day to reduce moisture loss and cooling costs. Remove field heat as soon as possible after harvest (fresh herb). For seed harvest, plants are usually cut or pulled out of the ground when seed pods are nearly mature but still green to allow pods to fully mature and dry down. They are then harvested with a combine.
Post harvest
Special handling/curing
Anise spice should be stored in a dark, cool and dry place until sale.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): 95-100% (fresh herb)
Temperature: 0°C (fresh herb)
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: 10-14 days (fresh herb)
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: Leafhoppers
Diseases: Root and crown rot
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Caterpillars, aphids, grasshoppers
Diseases: Rust, leaf blight (e.g. Passalora, Cercospora), downy mildew
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: none. This crop is in Crop Group 19: Herbs and Spices Group, when it is grown for its seed. This crop group is being revised and may change in the near future. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
None
- Westerveld, S., Elford, E., Filotas, M. and J. Todd. 2010-present. OMAFRA herb demonstration garden. OMAFRA Simcoe Resource Centre, unpublished.
- Azizi, S. 2000. Effect of N-fertilizer and sowing date on the growth, seed yield and essential oil of anise. Journal of Agricultural Sciences - Islamic Azad University 6: 79-88.
- Bhuvaneshwari, A.A. Farooqi, B.S. Sreeramu and K.N. Srinivasappa. 2003. Influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels on growth, seed yield and essential oil content in anise (Pimpinella anisum L.). Journal of Spices and Aromatic Crops 11:112-117.
- Holm, F.A. and A.E. Slinkard. 2002. Spice breeding and agronomic research. Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan.
- Ryakhovsky, N. 1931. Key to the fungal diseases of anise and coriander. Plant Protection 8: 185-186.
- Small, E. 2006. Culinary herbs, 2nd Edition. NRC Research Press, Ottawa.
