How to achieve year-round production of anise? Detailed explanation of key technical points
Anise is an annual herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family, genus Pimpinella. It originated in Eurasia, with Greece and Egypt being particularly abundant. The seeds can be used as a food seasoning and for medicinal purposes; the seedlings can be used as a green vegetable or salad garnish.
1 Botanical characteristics
The plant is 35-40 cm tall, with a slender form, and the whole plant has a very fresh and delicate fragrance, with a spindle-shaped taproot. The stem is relatively thick and cylindrical, with shallow grooves, and the upper part of the stem is much branched. The lower stem leaves are nearly round to kidney-shaped, with blunt notches and long petioles; the upper stem leaves are fully divided, almost filiform, like fennel. The umbel inflorescence has white flowers, which are small and numerous. The schizocarp is oblong-ovate, gray, very small, with a relatively faint fragrance. The 1000-seed weight is 5 g, and the seed germination capacity can be maintained for 3 years.
2 Environmental conditions
It prefers a mild climate and is not tolerant of high temperatures. It can grow at 10-20°C, with an optimum temperature of 18-20°C. Growth is slow below 12°C and above 29°C, and it can tolerate a brief low temperature of 0°C. The initial temperature for seed germination is 10°C, and the optimum temperature is 15-20°C. It has no strict requirements for light and is relatively tolerant of weak light. It is a long-day crop and bolts and flowers under high temperature and long-day conditions. It has no strict requirements for soil, with moist fertile sandy loam being suitable, and the suitable pH is 5.5-6.8. The growing period requires sufficient fertilizer and water.
3 Cultivation techniques
3.1 Cultivation season: For use as a green leafy vegetable, harvesting the seedlings and tender stems and leaves, it can be sown in stages and batches throughout the year and harvested successively; if the seeds are to be harvested for use as an aromatic seasoning and for medicinal purposes, sowing should be done early in spring. Especially in the colder regions of the north, sowing must be done promptly in April in order to obtain an early seed harvest.
3.2 Planting and field management
① Sowing: Anise grows quickly, and direct sowing is mostly adopted. For those grown specifically for seed harvest, drilling can be used, with a row spacing of about 15 cm and a seeding rate of 11.25-15 kg per hectare; for those harvested as a vegetable, broadcast sowing is generally used, with a seeding rate of 52.5-60 kg per hectare.
② Field management: Base fertilizer is the main focus. In areas with many weeds, herbicides should be used during land preparation to eliminate weeds. Irrigation should be done only to the extent that the plants do not suffer from drought, and during the rainy season, accumulated water should be drained promptly so that the plants do not suffer from waterlogging.
③ Harvesting: The harvesting of young seedlings can be carried out at any time according to need. Generally, when the plants are more than 10 cm tall, small seedlings can be thinned and marketed; when they are more than 20 cm tall, they can all be pulled up, the soil and sand washed from the roots, and then tied into small bundles for market, or the tips can be harvested. Anise seedlings do not store well and should be sold as soon as possible after harvest. Seeds sown in spring generally mature in August, and after harvest they should be dried in the shade for storage and should not be exposed to the sun.
4 Utilization
4.1 Culinary use: The tender leaves and young seedlings of anise are tender and aromatic, mainly used raw in salads, or as soup ingredients and seasoning, and have the effects of stimulating appetite, aiding digestion, strengthening the stomach, and expelling phlegm.
4.2 Flavoring spice: The aroma of the anise fruit is mainly used as a cooking seasoning, in the preparation of cakes and bread, or for brewing wine and making preserved fruits.
4.3 Other uses: The fruit of anise contains about 30% aromatic oil of anethole, as well as about 30% fatty acids, protein, and sugars. It has a strong expectorant effect without producing side effects. In Europe, people often blend anise fruit with honey to make medicine for children. Anise seed also helps relieve pain from various diseases and has effects such as reducing swelling and expelling parasites. In addition, it is also a very good stomachic and a mild diuretic.