More in desperation than any expectation of success, the day after my original post I took part of a star anise from the spice rack and opened the pod. There were four seeds in the pod I picked and they were chestnut brown coloured hard glossy seeds about the size of a grain of barley. I put them in a glass of tepid water and weighed them down with a pebble to ensure they were completely submerged. The glass I put in a cupboard immediately above the AGA where we keep or crackers and crispbread. I left it for two days and when I took it out it smelled like a glass of ouzo
I popped all four in a little post of seed compost, well soaked, and JUST covered them with moist compost. The whole lot I put inside a small polythene bag, wrapped it tightly to ensure no moisture loss, and left it in the same cupboard. I've checked it every couple of days and had given up any hope I might have had, but this morning, about two weeks after potting, I was greeted with one green shoot about 2cm high. I've taken it out of it's bag and put the pot on the bathroom window sill. It's a nice warm room with high humidity and fingers crossed it will survive. I'll keep the forum posted.
If it survives I might just invest in a pack of star anise and repeat the process as getting seed, let alone seedlings or small plants to buy, is like trying to find hen's teeth so I can have some to exchange
04-09-2009, 06:56 PM
Star anise
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