Pimpinella anisum L.

Plants annual, 10–50 cm, sparsely shortly pubescent throughout, strongly aromatic. Taproot slender. Stem much-branched. Leaves heteromorphic. Basal leaves simple; petioles 2–5 cm; blade reniform or broad-ovate, 1–3 × 1.2–2.8 cm, puberulent along veins, margin serrate. Cauline leaves 1–2-pinnate; ultimate segments ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 6–17 × 2–7 mm, 3-lobed margin serrate or lacerate. Leaves reduced upwards, becoming 3-lobed; lobes lanceolate or linear-lanceolate. Umbels 1.5–6 cm across; bracts 1(or 2) or absent, linear-lanceolate, 1–2 mm; rays 7–15, 1–4 cm, unequal; bracteoles 1(or 2) or absent, linear, 2–3 mm; umbellules 5–10 mm across, ca. 10-flowered; pedicels 2–6 mm, extending to 10 mm in fruit. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals white, obcordate, abaxially pubescent, apex with incurved lobule. Stylopodium conic; styles ca. 3 × stylopodium, ca. 0.5 × fruit, spreading or reflexed. Fruit oblong-ovoid, 3–5 × 2–2.5 mm, densely appressed setose-hairy; vittae 2–4 in each furrow, 4–8 on commissure, nearly forming a continuous ring around seed. Seed face plane. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 20.

It is a cool temperate plant. Plants are grown in summer in temperate climates. In the monsoonal tropics it is best grown in the cooler, drier season. It needs to have full sunlight. It needs shelter from strong winds. The soil should be light and sandy and well drained. Seeds need long hot summers to dry properly. In Nepal it grows to about 3000 m altitude. Plants will often only flower after long, hot summers. It can grow in arid places. In Argentina it grows between 400-1,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-8.

Seeds are used to give a licorice taste to foods. Leaves can be used fresh in salads or added to soups and stews when the food is almost cooked. The oil can be used for flavouring. Fruit are used to flavour biscuits and cakes. The leaves and seeds are brewed into a sweet, licorice-like tea.

Seeds are sown where the plant is to grow. The seed should be 1 cm deep and 15 cm apart.