Anise is a common annual plant that belongs to the Apiaceae family. Its closest relatives are dill, cumin and fennel. All these cultures have similar characteristics. During development, anise forms a straight stem up to 70 centimeters high. The culture has a round, furrowed shape and forms many branches at the top.
Description of the plant
Anise is an annual crop of the Bedrenets genus, the Umbrella family. This plant is considered very unpretentious.It has a thin medium stem and reaches a height of 50-70 centimeters. The culture is branched and erect. Anise is characterized by a thin tap root with a large number of branches.
At the bottom, the plant has solid, long-petioled leaves, which are distinguished by their rounded-beam shape. They can be lobed or incised-toothed. The middle leaves of the crop are wedge-shaped and have long petioles. On top of the bushes there are triple-pinnate leaves.
Anise blooms in the summer. Most often this happens in June. During this period, small five-membered inflorescences appear on the bushes. They look inconspicuous, but have an intense aroma. Anise flowers are white in color. In this case, the inflorescences are characterized by an umbrella shape.
After flowering ends, gray-green two-seeded fruits appear on the bushes, which have a pleasant fragrant aroma and a sweetish taste. The shape of the grains is similar to an oval flattened on the sides, measuring 2-6 millimeters. The crop bears harvest in August.
Popular cultures
Anise is divided into 2 main varieties - common and star anise. Each of them is characterized by its own characteristics.
Ordinary
This is an annual crop that has a developed tap-type root system. It penetrates to a depth of 40 centimeters. Thanks to this, the crop is able to withstand short-term drought. This type of anise is characterized by a straight, finely grooved stem, which is distinguished by its hollow shape. It reaches a height of 75 centimeters.
Common anise is used in cosmetology and cooking. However, it should not be confused with the star variety. These crops belong to different families, and therefore differ in shape, taste and aroma.
Star-shaped
This anise is also called star anise.This culture has many beneficial properties. According to the botanical description, the plant is an evergreen crop from the Limonnikov family. The fruits of this type of anise resemble a 6- or 8-pointed star. This plant is actively used as a seasoning. It is often grown in Japan, China, and India.
The aroma of star anise is reminiscent of licorice. This plant has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains shikimic acid, which has pronounced antiviral properties. Fragrant star anise is often used to prepare perfumes, essential oils, and compositions for the oral cavity.
How to store seeds
It is recommended to keep anise seeds in airtight containers. They require a cool to moderate temperature. In this case, you need to use the far corner of the cabinet to store spices. The shelf life of anise is no more than six months.
Plant varieties
The most popular anise varieties in Russia include Alekseevsky 68 and Alekseevsky 1231. Summer residents also often grow table and vegetable varieties. The most popular of them include:
- Magic elixir;
- Moscow;
- Semko;
- Blues;
- Umbrella.
All these crops are characterized by high resistance to temperature fluctuations. They are undemanding to care and produce a good harvest. As for imported varieties, the most popular are German, Dutch and French.
Beneficial and negative properties
The medicinal properties of the culture are due to its rich chemical composition. Anise fruits include essential oils, proteins, vegetable fats, sugar, and carbohydrates. They also contain various acids – chlorogenic and caffeic.
The content of such substances allows the use of anise as an analgesic, disinfectant, and antispasmodic. The plant also promotes expectoration of mucus and helps cope with inflammation.
The rich chemical composition of anise gives it a large number of valuable properties. Using this product helps achieve the following results:
- reduce body temperature;
- improve sputum production;
- block inflammation;
- stimulate kidney function;
- relieve spasms;
- stimulate intestinal function;
- crush kidney stones;
- eliminate a migraine attack;
- stop internal bleeding;
- improve appetite;
- cope with sleep disorders;
- normalize the functioning of the digestive system;
- increase lactation;
- improve heart function;
- achieve a calming effect for nervous disorders;
- cope with sleep disorders;
- eliminate epilepsy attacks;
- achieve wound healing;
- get rid of itching and inflammation that appear after insect bites;
- get rid of dermatitis;
- improve vision;
- cope with pain from rheumatism and gout.
When using anise, it is important to consider that it can provoke allergy symptoms. Therefore, people who are prone to this problem should use the plant with caution. At first, it is recommended to take a small amount of the substance and only if there are no manifestations of allergies can the dosage be increased.
Contraindications to consuming anise include the following:
- pregnancy;
- chronic gastritis;
- peptic ulcer.
Anise oil is not recommended for use for more than 1 week. If blood clotting is high, it should be mixed with milk or cream and consumed 1 drop per day.To avoid narcotic effects or paradoxical excitation, such a product should not be used in large quantities over a long period of time.
Recipes for use
The use of anise helps to cope with a variety of diseases. You can use the following recipes:
- To restore your voice, take half a glass of anise seeds, add 200 milliliters of water and boil for 10-15 minutes. Then strain the broth and add 1 tablespoon of cognac and 2 tablespoons of honey. Boil for 5 minutes and drink 1 dessert spoon at intervals of 30-40 minutes.
- For nasal polyps, instill a composition based on 15 grams of anise herb and 100 milliliters of alcohol. It is recommended to infuse the mixture for 9 days. To instill the nose, you need to mix the tincture with water in a ratio of 1:3. The nose needs to be instilled 3-4 times a day, using 3 drops in each nostril.
- To eliminate asthma and cough, you need to take 15 anise seeds and boil them in a glass of water. Take the resulting product half or a quarter glass 3-4 times a day. This should be done half an hour before meals.
- For chronic bronchitis and loss of voice, it is recommended to drink an infusion of anise fruit. In this case, 1 small spoon of seeds needs to be mixed with a glass of boiling water and left for 2 hours. Take the strained product in a third of a glass 3-4 times a day.
- For throat diseases, you need to take 1 small spoon of crushed anise, add 250 milliliters of boiling water and put on low heat for a quarter of an hour. After completing the cooking process, strain the mixture through cheesecloth. Drink 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals. A single dose is 2-3 tablespoons.The infusion successfully copes with dry throat and helps eliminate hoarseness.
How to grow a plant
This culture prefers light, fertile soil with low acidity. It does not develop well in swampy and loamy soil. Before planting, it is recommended to clear the area of weed roots. The best time to plant anise is in the fall. In this case, the soil needs to be dug up to a depth of 20-25 centimeters and manure or compost added. In the spring, this area needs to be dug up again to a depth of 5-6 centimeters, leveled and slightly compacted.
Anise seeds are characterized by slow germination. This is due to their structure and high shell density, which hardly allows moisture and air to pass through. Soil temperature has a significant influence on seed germination. If it is +3-4 degrees, the seeds will germinate in 25-30 days. At higher values, the first shoots should be expected already on days 14-16.
It is recommended to plant the crop after various vegetables and potatoes. In this case, the predecessor of anise should in no case be cilantro. Caring for anise involves timely watering. It is important to consider that it is necessary to moisten the soil at least 3 times a week. Also, the beds should be weeded and hilled regularly.
Full ripening of anise seeds occurs 3 months after planting. Harvesting is required early in the morning. In this case, the umbrellas need to be cut, dried, and threshed. If necessary, they need to be sifted. It is recommended to store seeds in a paper bag or glass container.
Anise is a healthy crop that has an intense aroma and is often used as a spice. In addition, the plant contains many valuable components, which allows the culture to be used in folk medicine.
