For fans of licorice-flavors, anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a must-have herb for cultivation in garden beds and kitchen potagers.
Harvesting the seeds for culinary use and to sow for future crops is a fun and easy process, but the timing is important.
Anise plants are somewhat slow-growing annuals and require 100 frost-free days to flower and produce ripe fruits.
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Be sure to read our guide to growing anise for all the cultivation details.
Commercial growers use combines to harvest plants while the pods are still green, but home growers can wait until the umbels ripen before harvesting, delivering the richest flavors.
And you don’t need farm implements either – some snips, a winnowing tray or large sieve, and airtight storage containers covers all the equipment you need.
So if your tastebuds are ready for some sweet licorice flavors, let’s get into the steps of how and when to harvest anise seed.
Here’s what you’ll find ahead:
What You’ll Learn
Along with the dried fruits, the aromatic leaves are flavorful and can be used in herb dressings, salads, teas, and cooking.
For the fullest flavors, harvest leaves before the plant flowers, using clean, sharp snips.
Gather leaves in the morning for the highest levels of volatile oils, trimming them close to the stem.
Use the leaves fresh or dry them on a screen and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard for six months to a year.
Anise flowers also make a tasty tea and are best harvested when they’re about three-quarters open.
When to Harvest
Anise has showy umbels of cream, white, or yellow flowers and plants need a fairly long growing season to flower and set seed.
The harvest of ripe kernels typically happens in late summer to early fall, or two to four weeks after the flowers are spent.
For peak flavor, wait until the umbels change color from green to brown, gray, or tan.
But don’t let them stay on the stem too long after changing color, because when fully ripe, the ovate husks fall easily from the heads.
If frosty weather threatens, harvesting green umbels is perfectly acceptable, you’ll be able to let them dry and ripen indoors.
How to Harvest
Now let’s look at how to harvest ripe and green flower heads.
Ripe Flower Heads
If you have left the flower heads to dry naturally, use clean, sharp snips to cut the flower stems with the umbels, leaving six to 10 inches of stem for hanging.
Carefully hang the stalks upside down in a warm, dry, and sheltered location.
Secure a paper bag around the spent flower heads until they’re completely dry, allowing the fruits to fall into the bag as they dry out.
Gently rub the flower heads between your fingers to dislodge stubborn holdouts.
Green Flower Heads
For umbels that are still green, harvest as above and tie the stems with string into small bundles.
Hang the bundles upside down in a cool, dry location out of direct sun and with good air circulation.
Place a tray or double layer of cheesecloth under the bundles to catch any seeds that dry and drop.
After the bundles have dried for a few weeks and changed color, use the paper bag method outlined above to collect the dry fruits.
Winnowing the Chaff
When collecting your own seed stock, there’s always some plant material, dust, and other debris that gets collected with the fruits as well.
Here’s an easy way to clear out the chaff:
- To separate kernels from the chaff, on a lightly breezy day, pour the collected mix into a winnowing tray or large, fine-mesh sieve.
- Take them outdoors and carefully toss the mixture into the air, like you’re draining pasta.
- But don’t toss them too high, just give them enough air for the breeze to carry away the chaff and for the seeds to fall back into the tray.
Winnowing trays are large, circular trays with a shallow lip and typically made of tightly woven materials like bamboo, rattan, or seagrass.
Mine is full of holes now and I’m looking for a replacement – this Yardenfun bamboo tray, available via Amazon looks like a great option.
Storage
After the fruits have been harvested and cleaned, it’s important to store them correctly so they retain their flavor.
Ensure the harvested fruits are completely dry and place them in an airtight container or screw top jar.
Store in a cool, dark cupboard away from direct heat or sunlight. Seeds can be stored up to two years before they start to lose flavor and decline in quality.
Stock for the garden remains viable for germination for one to three years.
Reap the Rewards
Anise is an easily cultivated herb that provides ample rewards with harvests of flavorful fresh leaves, flowers, and seeds for candies, cooking, and beverages!
Use the fresh leaves throughout the growing season for beverages, dressings, and salads, and wait until the flowers are three-quarters open to brew a tasty tea.
If possible, wait for the flower heads to change color before harvesting – but if you run out of time, collect them while still green and dry indoors.
After that, clean and store your harvested stock when it’s completely dry then enjoy the zesty licorice flavor in a range of foods and drinks.
When do you folks harvest your anise seed, when they’re ripe or still green? Let us know in the comments section below!
And for more information about anise, check out these guides next:
