tree⛅ part shade💧💧 moderate waterZone 8a – Zone 11b
Star anise is a small evergreen tree native to southwest China, prized for its distinctive star-shaped fruits used as a spice and in traditional medicine. It produces fragrant yellow flowers in spring followed by the characteristic hard, multi-pointed seed pods valued in culinary and herbal applications.
Overview
Form
Pyramidal
Growth Rate
slow
Size
20–26′ tall × 15–20′ wide
Dormancy
evergreen
Tolerances & Soil
Zone 8aZone 11b
1471013
ColderWarmer
Zone range: Zone 8a to Zone 11b
Seasonality
Bloom Season
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Harvest Season
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Season of Interest
SpringSummer
Sub-canopy
Smaller trees living beneath the canopy.
Native Range
Southwest China (Yunnan and Guangxi provinces)
Function & Care
medicinaledible
Edible Parts
seedfruit
Establishment & Care
Establishment
moderate
Maintenance
low
Years to Bearing
6 years
Propagation
seed
Notable Cultivars
Most commercially grown star anise is the species itself (Illicium verum); limited named cultivars exist, with cultivation focused on seed-bearing selection rather than ornamental variation.
