Anise Herb Seeds (Pimpinella anisum) | Sweet Licorice Aroma

Grow a fragrant kitchen-garden herb with anise, Pimpinella anisum. This annual produces aromatic foliage, delicate white flower umbels and seeds prized for their sweet, licorice-like flavor. Enjoy watching the flowers develop into seed heads, then collect your garden-grown harvest for baking and savory recipes.

Plant Highlights

• Botanical name: Pimpinella anisum.
• Plant type: Annual culinary herb.
• Listed height: Approximately 12–18 inches.
• Flowers: White umbels, generally appearing in summer.
• Aroma: Sweet and licorice-like.
• Light: Full sun.

How to Sow Anise

1. Direct sow outdoors after your last expected frost in a prepared seedbed. Anise does not transplant well, so sow where it will grow.
2. Cover seeds approximately 1/4–1/2 inch deep.
3. Keep soil evenly moist during germination. The listed emergence time is around 14 days at 68–70°F, though timing varies with conditions.
4. Thin seedlings to approximately 9–12 inches apart.
5. Protect young seedlings from strong winds as they establish.

Growing & Care

Choose light, loamy, well-drained soil in a sunny location. Water as needed during establishment and dry spells, avoiding waterlogged conditions. Give plants enough space for airflow and developing flower heads.

Harvest & Culinary Inspiration

Harvest when seed heads have developed brown seeds. Cut the heads and spread them on clean paper in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place to finish drying. Separate the seeds and store only fully dried seed in an airtight container.

• Use your harvested seeds whole or ground in cookies, breads and other baked goods.
• Add an aromatic accent to savory recipes that call for anise.
• Keep the distinctive licorice flavor in mind when combining it with other seasonings.

Seed Package Options

Choose 100 seeds, 1,000 seeds, 1/4 ounce, 1 ounce or 1/4 pound from the available options. Weight-based packages are sold by weight, not a guaranteed seed count. This listing is for planting seeds, not live plants or a ready-to-eat spice.

Important Use Note

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a different plant from fennel and star anise. Do not consume purchased planting seed. Culinary suggestions refer to the crop you grow and harvest, not the packaged seed. This listing does not recommend anise for treating medical conditions.