When to plant Anise in Temperate Australia
Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Raise anise from seedlings sown in spring from September to November, transplanting once the weather is reliably warm. Sow at about 6 mm deep, and expect germination in a fairly quick 7–14 days with steady warmth. Anise is half hardy and dislikes root disturbance, so start it in deep cells or sow direct where it will grow rather than pricking out. It needs a long, warm season of 120–150 days to ripen its aromatic seed, so the September sowing gives the best run in temperate gardens around Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. Space plants 30 cm apart in both directions in a sunny, sheltered bed.
Sowing calendar — temperate zone
Green months are your sowing window: September to November.
Growing notes
Anise is grown for its liquorice-scented seed, and the whole enterprise hinges on giving it a long enough warm season to flower and ripen before autumn cools things down. In a temperate climate that means sowing early in spring and choosing your warmest, most sheltered bed.
The classic failure is a plant that grows well but never ripens seed before the weather turns, leaving you with green, mouldy heads in autumn. The fix is to sow at the September end of the window, not November, and to pick a warm north-facing spot. In cooler temperate pockets around Melbourne, anise can struggle to finish at all, and you may do better treating it as a leaf herb.
Anise resents transplanting, so if you raise seedlings, use deep cells and move them on while young with the root ball intact; a disturbed taproot sulks or bolts. Keep the bed weed-free early, as the fine seedlings compete poorly. Water steadily but avoid waterlogging, since anise dislikes wet feet. Support the delicate flowering stems in exposed gardens, and harvest the seed heads once they turn grey-brown, drying them under cover to finish.
Anise at a glance
| Sowing depth | 6 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 30 cm |
| Row spacing | 30 cm |
| Germination | 7-14 days |
| Days to maturity | 120-150 days |
| Frost tolerance | Half Hardy |
| Method | Plant Seedlings |
Common questions
- how long does anise take to grow
- Anise needs a long warm season of 120–150 days to flower and ripen its seed. Sow early in spring, around September, so the plants have the full run of warm weather before autumn arrives.
- can you transplant anise seedlings
- Anise dislikes root disturbance, so if you raise seedlings, use deep cells and transplant while young with the root ball intact. Many gardeners prefer to sow it direct where it will grow to avoid setting the taproot back.
- why won't my anise set seed
- This usually means the season ran out of warmth before the seed could ripen. Sow at the September end of the window and choose your warmest, most sheltered bed. In cool temperate areas it may not finish at all and is better grown for leaf.
- does anise grow in Adelaide
- Yes, Adelaide's warm, dry summers suit anise well, as it needs heat to ripen seed. Sow in spring, give it full sun and steady water, and it should finish its 120–150 day season comfortably.
Track anise in your garden — sow dates, harvest countdowns, reminders. Free.
Add to my garden