Florida’s native anise shrubs good for landscape

Florida is home to two different species of anise shrubs. Both are excellent landscape plants, and both are threatened in Florida. Other species of anise grow well in our area, too, and even though they are not native, they make excellent additions to our landscapes.

•Florida anise

Florida anise (Illicium floridanum) is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub or small tree with leathery but glossy leaves two to six inches long and about an inch or two wide. Two-inch starlike flowers with many slender maroon petals bloom in spring and are somewhat malodorous. The leaves, however, smell of anise when they are crushed or torn. Flowers are followed by seeds held in inconspicuous star-shaped papery follicles which explode when ripe.

Expect Florida anise to grow from 10 to 15 feet tall and about 6 to 10 feet wide. Hardy from USDA Zones 7-10, it is an excellent choice for this area. Specimens can be found in the wild in the Florida panhandle and across Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to southeastern Louisiana.

Common names include Florida anise, purple anise, stinkbush, and star anise.

Several cultivars are available. ‘Album’, ‘Semmes’, and ‘Alba’ have white flowers; ‘Halley’s Comet’ has an extended bloom time and darker flowers; and ‘Shady Lady’ has variegated leaves and pink flowers.

Florida anise is at home in shade to partial shade and appreciates well drained, moist, acidic soil. In nature it is found in moist, wooded ravines and at the edges or in small streams or seepage areas. Needless to say, it is not drought tolerant. Pruning once a year before growth begins in spring will help to maintain a shrub form, or it can be trained into a small tree by removing some of the lower branches. Very few pests attack this native plant. Propagation is easy from seeds which germinate readily.

•Yellow anise

Yellow anise (Illicium parviflorum), another Florida native, is also very useful in the landscape. Size is perhaps a bit larger than Florida anise (15 to 20 feet tall), and it can tolerate more sun. Leaves are olive-green, especially when grown in sun, and small yellow flowers often go unnoticed.

The growth habit is upright to pyramidal, and suckers often appear around established shrubs. The plant tolerates a wide variety of soils, from extremely moist to dry, and is tolerant of both sun and shade.

Yellow anise is easily rooted from cuttings, and it occurs naturally in wet areas in southern Georgia and Florida. Hardy in Zones 7-9, it is a vigorous and worthwhile plant where a broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree is needed. Do not make the mistake of using the seed cases of this plant as a flavoring or spice. It is very toxic and should not be ingested.

•Other anise species

Star-anise (Illicium verum) from China and Vietnam is the source of a culinary spice and also has several medicinal uses. The essential oil is contained in the pericarp, or seed covering, and not in the seeds. Note that this is the only anise which is used as a seasoning.

Japanese anise-tree (Illicium anisatum) which is native to China and Japan, is well suited to our area (Zones 8-9). It makes a great evergreen shrub or small tree growing from 6 to 10 feet tall. Highly adaptable, this plant can be grown in full sun or in a mostly shaded location. Although it grows best in moist, well-drained, rich soil, it is moderately drought tolerant and requires little fertilizer for good foliage color and adequate growth. Fruits are extremely toxic.

Very rare and seldom encountered in the trade are two other species. Mexican anise-tree (Illicium mexicanum) hails from Mexico, and Henry anise-tree (Illicium henryi) comes to us from western China. Both are hardy in Zones 7-9. Perhaps one day these two uncommon species will become more available.

Marie Harrison is a Master Gardener Volunteer with the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Okaloosa County. Her books, “Gardening in the Coastal South,” “Southern Gardening, an Environmentally Sensitive Approach,” and “Groundcovers for the South” are now available. Visit her Web site at http://mariesgarden.com or e-mail marieharrison@valp.net.