Star anise Illicium verum, also known as Chinese star anise, is the only type of edible. In contrast, the Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), the fruits of which are very similar to the real one, is extremely poisonous. In its homeland, the real star anise grows as a small, evergreen tree. In our latitudes it is relatively rare. You can especially admire it in botanical gardens. Despite everything, it can be kept as a houseplant. In summer it can stand outside, but must be wintered frost-free.
Demands on location and substrate
Since this plant needs sufficient light, it should be bright or bright. Get a sunny to partially shaded location, ideally in a winter garden or heatable greenhouse. Any other bright and warm room is also suitable. Direct sunlight should be avoided and the room temperature should ideally be between 17 and 20 degrees. From May, after the so-called ice saints, the plant can be put outside.
The respective planter should have sufficient drainage holes and good drainage z. B. made of coarse gravel. As a substrate, nutrient-rich garden soil, a humus-rich, composted substrate, normal unit soil or soil mixed with sand and peat can be used. The soil should be well drained and fresh to moist.
Tip: If the star anise moves outside in May, it should be placed in a rather shady place for the first few days so that it can slowly get used to the new environmental conditions. Later it can be moved to a lighter location.
Optimal care of the star anise
Illicium verum should be poured in such a way that the substrate is always evenly moist but not too wet. It should be watered regularly, especially in summer. It is best to let the top substrate layer dry before each watering. Since star anise needs high humidity, it should be sprayed regularly with lime-free water, especially if it is in the house all year round. From June to August, star anise can be fertilized every two weeks. If the bucket is well rooted, you should repot in fresh soil and, if necessary, a larger planter. It takes about 15 years for this houseplant to bear fruit for the first time. It can also happen that a plant does not produce any fruit at all. Does it have a height of approx. When it reaches 40-50 cm, it should be cut back by about a third. A bushier growth can be achieved if you only cut off the tips of the shoots.
Hibernate properly
- Star anise is not sufficiently hardy.
- It can withstand temperatures of up to a maximum of - 12 degrees.
- For this reason it is advisable to bring him to winter quarters before the first frosts.
- The winter should not be too warm.
- The temperatures should not rise above 18 degrees and also not fall below 15 degrees.
- Even during the cold season, the star anise has to be poured from time to time.
- However, the watering needs to be reduced significantly.
- The substrate should neither dry out completely nor be permanently too wet.
- Dry heating air in winter can quickly lead to an infestation with spider mites or scale insects.
- To prevent this, optimum humidity should be ensured.
- You can do this by occasionally spraying the plants with lukewarm water.
- If possible, rainwater should be used for this.
- There is no need for fertilization in winter.
Multiplication
Before you buy plants, you can also try propagating star anise and there are two possible ways to do this:
By seeds
In spring, small magnolia-like, greenish-white flowers appear, from which the typical fruits of star anise, so-called follicles, develop. In the eight-pointed, capsule-like fruits are the shiny, brown seeds, with one seed in each of these 8 teeth. These seeds can be sown all year round. If you are lucky enough to have received fresh seeds, they must first be subjected to a cold treatment (stratification). To do this, you put them in a foil bag with moist sand, which you then close and store for 1-2 months at temperatures of around 5 degrees in the refrigerator or, if available, in a cold store. In other closed vessels it can happen that the seeds go moldy.
After this time, the seeds are placed about 1 cm deep in a nutrient-poor growing medium. For this purpose, z. B. Kokohum or commercial potting soil mixed with perlite or sand. To ensure constant humidity, cover the cultivation vessel with glass or translucent film. Both should be removed from time to time and the substrate ventilated. Then you put the whole thing in a bright, not full sun place at temperatures between 22 and 25 degrees until germination. Once small seedlings have formed with the first small leaves, they can be isolated or can be planted individually in pots.
Tip: Seeds from purchased fruits that are sold exclusively for decorative purposes are generally not capable of germination and are therefore not suitable for cultivation. With a lot of luck, you can get hold of the appropriate seeds or young plants in specialist nurseries.
By cuttings
Cuttings for propagation can be obtained when pruning existing plants. Well-matured but not lignified shoot tips are used. Each cutting should be about 6-20 inches long and about
2-3 pairs of leaves. Larger leaves are cut in half to keep evaporation as low as possible. The cuttings are then placed in small pots in a permeable and nutrient-poor substrate and a film is placed over them.Here, too, it is advisable to mix sand or perlite into the growing medium. At soil temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees, rooting usually takes place after about 3-4 weeks. If roots have formed on the cutting, this is shown by the first shoot. If this is the case, the foil can be removed and the young plants can be cultivated further. If the pots are well rooted at some point, they are transplanted into larger pots. If the plants are large enough, the tips of the shoots can be pruned to achieve better branching.
Pests
The most common pests to be expected are:
Spider mites
Spider mites often appear during wintering due to insufficient humidity. They can be recognized by the fine white webs on the leaf axils. A thorough shower is often sufficient to combat it. The undersides of the leaves should not be forgotten either. The plant should then be treated with suitable sprays. As a rule, you have to spray several times at certain intervals.
Scale insects
A scale insect infestation can be recognized by small brown labels, which are mainly on the trunk and the branches or drifted sit. Systemic agents from specialist retailers can be used to combat this. Commercially available plant protection sticks are usually not sufficiently effective because they also contain fertilizer and the concentration of toxins is often too low.
Tip: To prevent infestation with pests, care should always be taken to ensure sufficient humidity, for example by regularly spraying the plants with water. When using pesticides, you should strictly follow the specifications of the respective manufacturer.
Conclusion
If you want to grow star anise yourself, you should consider that in this country it is only grown in pots, i.e. as a houseplant. It can stand outdoors from spring to autumn. Before the first frost, however, she should move to winter quarters. However, it can take a few years for the plants to produce fruit for the first time.