Illicium floridanum

The Florida anise tree, also called purple anise, is an attractive, medium to large, evergreen shrub in the Schisandraceae (starvine) family and native to the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. It is multistemmed, upright, and compact. The genus name derives from the Latin term "illici" meaning “seductive,” in reference to its scent. The species epithet floridanum comes from the Latin "florid" meaning "flowery" and also that it is native to Florida.

It is best to grow this plant in part to full shade, as the leaves may scorch in many hours of bright sunlight. It is not drought tolerant and therefore requires moist, rich soil to grow, but is otherwise a rapid growing, comparatively low-maintenance shrub. It does spread by root suckers, which may be cut away as needed. It tolerates heavy shade, erosion, and wet planting sites, but is not cold hardy. 

The bright foliage of this plant is attractive and aromatic, smelling similar to anise spice when crushed or bruised. The shiny, leathery leaves are light olive-green in color and the 1.5 inch flowers are dark red, appearing in the early spring. The leaves contain high levels of aromatic compounds that repel or are toxic to insects, making it pest resistant. The flowers have an unusual, somewhat "fishy" fragrance.

This shrub’s preference for moist, well-drained soil with high organic matter would make it ideal in a rain garden or allowed to naturalize in shady locations.  

Quick ID Hints:

• Thick, elliptic leaves are in pseudo-whorls at branch tips
• Bruised leaves smell like anise
• Plant has purplish, foetid flowers with many ligulate petals
• Leaf has reddish-purple petiole

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. 

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

More information on Illicium.