Sweet cicely

Quick facts

Category

herbs soft

Difficulty

intermediate

Days to harvest

60 to 90 days

Harvest type

cut leaves, plant regrows for repeated harvests

Spacing

60 cm between plants

Environment

Temperature

5–22°C

pH

6 to 7.5

EC (hydroponic)

1 to 1.5 mS/cm

Daily light

8 to 14 mol/m²/day

Climate and zones

USDA zones

4 to 8 (winter low around -34°C or warmer)

Frost tolerance

very hardy (survives deep cold)

Season

cool (spring and fall crops)

Viable growing environments:

• outdoor year-round (in zone)
• outdoor in growing season (annual)
• unheated greenhouse / hoop house

USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.

Growing systems

Sweet cicely works in:

• media bed (ebb and flow)
• wicking bed
• soil bed

Root mass is heavy - thin-channel systems (NFT, vertical towers) can't hold this crop mechanically, hence the system list above.

Growing media

The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (sweet cicely works in the media listed below).

Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.

Nutrient demand by stage

NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.

Aquaponics suitability

Not recommended for pure aquaponics. Fish waste alone doesn't provide enough of the nutrients this crop demands (typically potassium, calcium, or boron). It can be grown in a hybrid system where the reservoir is supplemented with hydroponic-style nutrients, but expect to dose actively.

Care notes

A shade-tolerant perennial herb for cool, moist conditions. Container (15 L) or media bed. EC 1.0-2.0 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.5. Temperature: 10–22°C (cool-climate plant; struggles in heat above 28°C). Low to moderate light (DLI 8-16 mol/m2/day; one of the few herbs that thrives in shade). Propagation from seed requires cold stratification (4-6 weeks at 2–5°C in moist sand or peat); alternatively, buy established plants. From transplant to first harvest: immediate for established plants. Harvest leaves throughout the growing season. The young, green seeds have a powerful anise flavor and are worth eating directly or adding to salads. For fruit desserts: chop sweet cicely leaves and add to stewed fruit (rhubarb, gooseberry, plum) to reduce the need for added sugar. The natural sweetness is genuine and useful. The plant dies back in winter and reemerges in spring. Long-lived (10+ years from a single planting).

Further reading

• Best crops for hydroponic beginners
• The Kratky method: grow lettuce with zero electricity