A broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree in the Schisandraceae (anise) family native to Japan. They grow 6 to 15 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide. Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist organically rich well-drained sandy to loam soils. It prefers acidic soil thriving in conditions similar to rhododendrons. Tolerates wet sites, heavy shade, deer browsing, and erosion. It is not very cold hardy. The leaves are dark green and fragrant and are prized by florists because they remain fresh for a long time after pruning. Creamy white, scent-free flowers are clustered in the leaf axils and have many petals. They do not spread by root sucker to form colonies and only need occasional pruning to maintain shape or remove dead, broken, or crossing branches. Propagate this plant by stem cutting, layering, or seed. Plant as an informal hedge, a shrub border, in a rain garden, or allowed to naturalize. Mass plant them to use as a screen or group them along fences or walls in a cottage garden. Train it into a small tree and use it for a patio planting. They work well in difficult wet shady areas. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. More information on Illicium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Causes inflammation, hallucinations, nausea. All species and cultivars of Illicium, except for I. verum (Chinese Star Anise), have varying levels of toxicity.