Mexican Anise-tree Illicium floridanum
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Mexican Anise-tree:
Previously known as:
- Illicium mexicanum
- Phonetic Spelling
- il-LISS-ee-um flor-ih-DAY-num
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
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.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Collector’s Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Aztec Fire'
- 'Grey Ghost'
Pewter-colored leaves white margins, pale pink flowers - 'Halley's Comet'
- 'Pebblebrook'
Dense habit, 2" maroon flowers, filtered sun - 'Pink Frost'
Compact habit, white and green variegated leaves turn pink when cold - 'Semnes'
- 'Shady Lady'
Variegated
'Swamp Hobbit'
- 'Thayer'
Soft pink flowers, variegated leaves with white margins great for lightening up shaded locations - var. album
White flowers, slightly smaller size, lighter leaves
Pyramidal form, large, showy, dark red flowers
Dwarf variety, highly deer resistant, maroon flowers - 'Grey Ghost'
- 'Aztec Fire', 'Grey Ghost', 'Halley's Comet', 'Pebblebrook', 'Pink Frost', 'Semnes', 'Shady Lady', 'Swamp Hobbit', 'Thayer', var. album
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Aztec Fire'
- 'Grey Ghost'
Pewter-colored leaves white margins, pale pink flowers - 'Halley's Comet'
- 'Pebblebrook'
Dense habit, 2" maroon flowers, filtered sun - 'Pink Frost'
Compact habit, white and green variegated leaves turn pink when cold - 'Semnes'
- 'Shady Lady'
Variegated
'Swamp Hobbit'
- 'Thayer'
Soft pink flowers, variegated leaves with white margins great for lightening up shaded locations - var. album
White flowers, slightly smaller size, lighter leaves
Pyramidal form, large, showy, dark red flowers
Dwarf variety, highly deer resistant, maroon flowers - 'Grey Ghost'
- 'Aztec Fire', 'Grey Ghost', 'Halley's Comet', 'Pebblebrook', 'Pink Frost', 'Semnes', 'Shady Lady', 'Swamp Hobbit', 'Thayer', var. album
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Illicium
- Species:
- floridanum
- Family:
- Schisandraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern U.S.A., Mexico
- Distribution:
- AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, Central Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Northeastern Mexico
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers are attractive to pollinators
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer
- Edibility:
- POISONOUS IF INGESTED. NOT a substitute for the star anise spice.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Open
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Plant produces a cluster of one-seeded dehiscent follicles arranged in a star-shaped whorl. Fruits are green to yellow to brown in color, less than an inch in diameter. Seeds are brown and shiny.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- more than 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The showy maroon-purple blooms have an unpleasant odor with many strap-shaped petals that nod on slender pedicels. They are foetid, cauliferous, up to 2" in diameter. Petals are ligulate. Flowers bloom in the spring (April-May).
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Rubbery
- Smooth
- Waxy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, lustrous to dull, and 2"-6". long. They are glossy dark green above and pale below. They are in a pseudo-whorl at the end of the stem, are elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, acute, cuneate, entire, and glabrous. Leaves are thick, have a reddish purple petiole, and smell like gin-and-tonic or anise when bruised or crushed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Polished
- Stem Description:
- Stems are stout, shiny, gray-brown in color, and dotted with small lenticels. They are pith green and solid.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Garden for the Blind
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Malodorous
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Poisonous to humans and livestock if ingested. NOT a substitute for the star anise spice. All species and cultivars of Illicium, except for I. verum (Chinese Star Anise), have varying levels of toxicity.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Sesquiterpene lactones
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Seeds
