Illicium floridanum / Florida Anise (Schisandra Family)

A shade loving, evergreen, deer resistant shrub–what's not to love? Florida anise is a true shade lover and will tell you how unhappy it is in too much sun by turning yellow. Moist soil is also a must, but it is fairly drought tolerant once established. The leaves and flowers of this plant are very fragrant–very spicy and rich. This is a suckering plant and can form a nice thicket if desired.

Blooms: Maroon, April-May, 3-4 weeks
Leaves: Glossy, leathery, medium green, simple, elongate, evergreen
Height:6-10’
Space: 4-8’
Soil: Moist-wet, somewhat rich
Exposure: Part sun-Shade
Fauna: Very attractive to beetles and flies
Seeds: Interesting star-shaped fruit about 1”
Deer Resistance: High
Zone: 7-10
Native Status: Southeast native
Provenance: Unknown, asexually propagated