Family: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Other names: Anise plant, common anise, aniseed, sweet cumin Sweet Alice
Anise, the liquorice-tasting spice, was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. In Roman times anise was grown in for culinary and digestive purposes. Because the seeds contain a volatile oil that aids the digestion of rich foods, they were an important ingredient of a spiced cake called "Mustaceum". This dessert was prepared and eaten by the Romans after huge feasts.
The plant appeared in medieval England, but the seed did not mature successfully every year because of the long warm season needed to ripen the seeds. Because of its great popularity and use as a spice, medicine, and perfume, King Edward I placed a special tax on it to raise money for repairs to the London Bridge.
In 1619, the Virginia Assembly enacted a law requiring each family to plant at least six anise seeds each year. The Shakers used anise as a medicinal herb.
Description
Pimpinella anisum is an annual herb related to the carrot and in the parsley family (Apiaceae, or Umbelliferae), which reaches a height of about 2 feet. Leaves are twice pinnate, looking similar to parsley. Flowers and seeds are produced in large, loose clusters. Flowers are small, yellowish-white. Seeds are oblong, about 0.16 inch long and curved, the flavor of which resembles that of licorice.
Anise seed has a sweet, licorice-like flavor and produces a plant that grows to a height of about three feet. At harvest, the seeds are a light greenish gray color, crescent shaped, and about one-fifth of an inch long. Though the anise seed has the licorice flavor, it is not related to the European plant whose roots are the source of true licorice. The Star Anise (Illicium anisatum) or (Illicium verum) has properties very similar to Anise and the two are virtually interchangeable.
Growing
Anise develops best in well drained, friable soils and appears to respond favorably to nitrogen fertilization. It requires a warm and long frost-free growing season of 120 days, and prefers a sunny and sheltered location. Sow the seeds in late spring. Thin plants to be spaced 6 to 12 inches apart. Or start seed in a peat pot in a warm place indoors in late winter or early spring. Germination time is about 1 to 2 weeks. Transplant seedlings outdoors when the weather gets mild in late spring. Break open the bottom of the pot before planting; be careful not to disturb the taproot.
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