Florida Anise

Illicium floridanum

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub

Height at Maturity: 10-15′

Width at Maturity: 6-8′

Spacing: 6′ for solid hedges; 12’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Bushy

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: Dark Red, Maroon

Flower Size: Medium-2″

Flowering Period: Spring

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: Dark Green

Fragrant Foliage: Yes

Berries/ Pods: Yes

Sun Needs: Full To Mostly Shade, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist, Moderately Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.5

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Heat, Insect

Descriptions

Excellent for use as an evergreen privacy screen in shade or as a large specimen shrub or small tree, Florida Anise is one of the most dependable broad-leaved evergreen shrubs for the shade garden and sites with consistently moist soil. In spring, this North American native produces uniquely shaped, dark red 2-inch diameter flowers with many strap-like petals. Its thick, glossy dark green leaves that are 2 to 6 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide adorn the tree year-round. A whiff of the leaves reveals a pleasant anise scent that tempts the passerby to tear a leaf in order to enjoy the spicy aroma.

Landscape & Garden Uses

With an upright habit and rounded form 10 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide, Florida Anise is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings or as a natural evergreen hedge or privacy screen in shady sites with consistently moist soil. As this anise grows taller lower branches can be removed to form a highly attractive evergreen focal point specimen tree. Also ideal for use in home foundation plantings to frame corners or as espalier (trained to grow flat against a wall) between widely-spaced windows or on windowless walls.

Suggested Spacing: 6 feet apart for solid hedges; 12 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where Florida Anise is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Florida Anise is very easy to grow in organically rich, moist but well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. For best appearance and performance we recommend some shade in the afternoon. No pruning necessary. That said, plants can be clipped to control height or for shaping purposes.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to get helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Anise.

How To Plant & Care For Anise Shrubs & Trees

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us!

Great native plant, large, evergreen, very fragrant flowers, perfect for that shady wet spot on your property.————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plants arrived promptly and well packed. Plants are in great condition. I planted them a couple of weeks ago and they seem to be doing well. I will definitely buy plants from wilson bros again.———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plants were well packaged, arrived promptly, just what I expected.——————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Extremely pleased!!! Very well packaged. Healthy plant. Some items need to be clearly marked.We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Beth | WBG 🙂