
Always use sanitized pruning shears or loppers that are nice and sharp. To deadhead anise hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis
Hyssopus officinalis or hyssop is a herbaceous plant of the genus Hyssopus, native to Southern Europe, the Middle East, and the region surrounding the Caspian Sea. Due to its properties as an antiseptic, cough reliever, and expectorant, it is commonly used as a medicinal plant.
How do you prune anise bushes?
Cut broken branches back to a point just beyond the break and preferably an inch or two above a leaf. Tree Forming: If a tree form is desired, your anise shrub can be pruned in late winter to form an attractive small tree by removing some of the lower branches. It's best to wait until your Anise is 5 feet or so in height before tree forming.
How far apart should you plant Florida anise?
For a more rounded, shrublike form, tip prune to encourage branching, especially when young. If a hedge is desired, plant on 10-foot centers for compactness. In a mixed shrub border, allow about 15 feet between Florida anise and other shrubs to maintain the individuality of each specimen.
Does Florida anise grow in Florida?
Protected in Florida as a threatened species, Florida Anise is a fast-growing, low maintenance shrub with spectacular foliage. It is a great evergreen shrub for difficult wet and shady areas where it can be used as screening, in masses or against a sheltered wall.
How do you fertilize anise?
Fertilize Anise in late winter or early spring with a slow-release shrub & tree food, preferably one that contains Sulfur and/or Iron. Alternatively, you can feed with a natural organic plant food.

How do you trim anise?
Always use sanitized pruning shears or loppers that are nice and sharp. To deadhead anise hyssop, simply cut off the dead flowering stems. If you wish to force new growth and shape the plant, cut back up to 1/3 of the woody material. Make cuts at a slight angle to force moisture away from the stem.
How do you care for Florida anise?
A part shade to full shade lover, this plant is easily grown in moist soils. Tolerates erosion and wet planting sites. May need pruning when young after flowering. Generally pest and disease free.
How tall does Florida anise get?
6 to 10 feet tallMature Height/Spread: Florida anise will grow 6 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. Growth Rate: This plant grows at a medium rate, which can be accelerated by providing uniform moisture and fertilizer.
How do you propagate Florida anise?
Illicium is easily propagated by seeds and cuttings. The shrubs form roots where lower branches touch the soil and these can be cut and dug for an easy way to obtain new plants.
Why is my anise plant turning brown?
Diseases of anise are commonly fungal in nature. Alternaria blight is one such fungal disease that causes small concentric ringed spots that are yellow, brown, or black spots on foliage. As the disease progresses, leaves often are left with a hole where the lesion has dropped out.
Can you eat Florida anise?
Do not ingest. It is not a substitute for the culinary spice and flavorings obtained from Illicium verum," and the other Plants for a Future. "Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, at least one other member of the genus has a fruit that is poisonous in quantity."
What grows well with Florida anise?
So, if you have a wooded area in the back of your property and need some additional screening, this is your plant. It also works well in a mixed border with other shrubs, such as camellias and azaleas. The new springtime growth of the Florida anise has bright green leaves.
Is Florida anise toxic to dogs?
This is a selection of a native North American species, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.
How fast do anise trees grow?
It's easy to grow anise and the feathery leaves are borne on slightly purple stems. The plant, which grows just under 2 feet (60 cm.) tall, requires a warm growing season of at least 120 days.
Can you grow anise from cuttings?
There are two ways to propagate and grow star anise from an existing plant. The first is by cuttings. Remove a 4-inch section of branch with a sharp knife, and plant it in a soil mix of perlite and sand or peat humus. Wait for it to root, and keep it healthy until next spring when it can be planted.
Does anise transplant well?
In fact, direct sowing is recommended as anise seedlings are fragile and do not transplant well. Anise requires plenty of sunlight in order to thrive. Sow seeds in May (the soil needs to be at least 70 degrees to germinate) about 12 inches apart and ½ inch deep. Expect sprouting in around six days.
How do you transplant anise?
SOWING: Transplant (recommended): Tamp seeds into the soil mix or just barely cover with soil. Anise hyssop will transplant easily at any age. When transplanting, place seedlings 6-12" apart in rows 24-36" apart. Direct seed: Sow shallowly, 1/4" deep, one seed per inch in spring.
Is Florida anise poisonous to dogs?
This is a selection of a native North American species, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.
Is Florida anise evergreen?
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.
Is Florida Sunshine anise poisonous to dogs?
Use caution when siting any Illicium species! These plants contain compounds that are toxic to both humans and animals.
Is Florida Sunshine anise evergreen?
Providing year-round interest, Illicium parviflorum 'Florida Sunshine' (Small Anise) is a compact evergreen shrub of rounded habit, noted for its chartreuse golden foliage of elliptic leaves, which turns hot yellow in the fall. Aromatic, the shimmering foliage exudes an anise aroma when crushed or bruised.
How to deadhead anise hyssop?
To deadhead anise hyssop, simply cut off the dead flowering stems. If you wish to force new growth and shape the plant, cut back up to 1/3 of the woody material. Make cuts at a slight angle to force moisture away from the stem. Remove plant material just above a viable bud node.
Can anise hyssop be cut back?
Pruning anise hyssop when it is young in early spring will help force a bushier plant. Cutting back anise hyssop in late winter will allow the fresh new stems to come up unimpeded. The plant can also do quite well without any trimming but if you choose to cut, know when to prune Agastache for the most effective maintenance experience.
Does anise hyssop die in winter?
In most regions of North America, anise hyssop will brown and die back for winter. You may choose to leave it just as it is with the addition of a bit more mulch around the root zone, and no harm will come to this hardy plant.
Does pruning anise hyssop help?
It just depends upon what kind of landscape you like to maintain. Pruning anise hyssop will enhance its appearance, force new compact growth, and may increase blooms if deadheaded.
When do anise trees bloom in Florida?
In April, Florida anise-tree bursts into bloom with 1- to 2-inch wide star-shaped, maroon-red flowers.
What is Florida anise?
In addition to these aesthetic features, Florida anise offers durability, low maintenance, and freedom from pests. If you have shady, moist nooks in your landscape, consider this broadleaved evergreen shrub that looks best when planted en masse. Besides red flowers, there are a few cultivars that have white flowers, such as ‘Alba’ and ‘Semmes.’ Thayer’ (Shady Lady®) has pink flowers and grayish-white-margined leaves, and ‘Pink Frost’ has burgundy-red flowers and creamy-white, variegated foliage that turns rose-pink in cool fall weather. This combination of beauty and functionality has made Florida anise a celebrity in my landscape.
How big are the leaves of an anise tree?
In April, Florida anise-tree bursts into bloom with 1- to 2-inch wide star-shaped, maroon-red flowers comprised of 20 to 30 straplike petals.
How tall is an anise tree in Florida?
This shade-adapted understory shrub can be found growing naturally in shaded, moist to wet areas where it can reach a compact height and width of 6 to 10 ft.
What do anise trees smell like?
Like colorful pinwheels, these flowers are pretty but have an unappealing fragrance. OK, full disclosure: the flowers smell like rotting fish —but not all of the flowers.
How to train Florida anise?
If desired, the shrub can be trained into a small tree by removing some of the lower limbs. For a more rounded, shrublike form, tip prune to encourage branching, especially when young. If a hedge is desired, plant on 10-foot centers for compactness. In a mixed shrub border, allow about 15 feet between Florida anise and other shrubs to maintain the individuality of each specimen. Florida anise fits well into naturalistic landscapes in damp, shady areas.
How big does Florida anise grow?
Expect Florida anise to grow from 10 to 15 feet tall and about 6 to 10 feet wide. Hardy from USDA Zones 7-10, it is an excellent choice gardens in the Deep South. Specimens can be found in the wild in the Florida panhandle and across Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to southeastern Louisiana.
Where does yellow anise grow?
Yellow anise is easily rooted from cuttings, and it occurs naturally in wet areas in southern Georgia and Florida. Hardy in Zones 7-9, it is a vigorous and worthwhile plant where a broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree is needed. Do not use llicium floridanum or I. parviflorum as spices. Both are toxic and should not be ingested.
Where does the anise tree come from?
Mexican anise-tree (Illicium mexicanum) hails from Mexico, and Henry anise-tree ( Illicium henryi) comes to us from western China. Rarer still is Illicium simonsii, a Chinese species that bears pale yellow flowers. Perhaps one day these uncommon species will become more available.
Where does star anise come from?
Japanese anise-tree (Illicium anisatum), which is native to China and Japan, is well-suited to gardens in USDA Zones 8 to 9. It makes a great evergreen shrub or small tree growing from 6 to 10 feet tall.
Is yellow anise a native plant?
Yellow anise ( Illicium parviflorum ), another Florida native, is also very useful in the landscape. Size is perhaps a bit larger than Florida anise (15 to 20 feet tall), and it can tolerate more sun. Leaves are olive-green, especially when grown in sun, and small yellow flowers often go unnoticed. The growth habit is upright to pyramidal, and suckers often appear around established shrubs. The plant tolerates a wide variety of soils, from extremely moist to dry, and is tolerant of both sun and shade.
Where does the Florida anise tree grow?
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.
Where does anise come from?
The anise that is used as a spice is derived from a different species, Illicium verum, an evergreen tree native to southern China and Vietnam . Illicium dis derived from the Latin "illici" which means "allure, entice" likely because of the pleasing fragrance of many of the species.
What is anise in Florida?
Illicium floridanum (Florida Anise) is a medium-sized evergreen shrub of upright, loose, open habit, with smooth, elliptic, lustrous dark olive-green leaves, 6 in. long (15 cm). Aromatic, the attractive foliage exudes an anise or gin-and-tonic aroma when crushed or bruised.
When to propogate a sage?
Propagate by seeds or semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
Is Florida anise a shrub?
Protected in Florida as a threatened species, Florida Anise is a fast-growing, low maintenance shrub with spectacular foliage. It is a great evergreen shrub for difficult wet and shady areas where it can be used as screening, in masses or against a sheltered wall.
How long are anise leaves?
All types of anise shrubs have pointed oval leaves, 2 to 4 inches in length, ranging in color from bright green to drab olive green. The evergreen leaves are usually glossier on top and dull underneath, arranged alternately along the branches.
When do anise trees bloom?
Fruit and Flowers. The anise tree’s flowers are both unique and bizarre, quite unlike any other plant in cultivation. Blossoms emerge in mid- to late spring, unfurling many straplike petals in a sunburst arrangement. Flowers are generally less than 2 inches across, and are best appreciated up close.
What is an anise tree?
By Michelle Z. Donahue. Native to the southeastern United States, the anise tree is an unusual alternative to overused evergreen foundation plants like boxwoods and hollies. Anise is more properly considered a large multistemmed shrub of the Illicium family, with a natural tendency towards modest sprawl. It can also be clipped into a tidy hedge.
What do anise leaves smell like?
Most notably, however, is the distinctive odor they give off when crushed: depending on the nose, they can smell like root beer, licorice, or gin and tonic. Leaves may wilt in full sun without adequate water and do not change color in the fall.
What are the characteristics of anise?
Growth Characteristics. Anise shrubs are considered moderate to rapid growers and spread by suckering. They assume a rounded to conical form at maturity, and are somewhat spherical even when young. Branches grow openly and not closely together, giving the shrub a loose, shaggy overall appearance.
How big are Florida anise flowers?
Flowers are generally less than 2 inches across, and are best appreciated up close. With the exception of Florida anise, whose flowers smell damp and fishy, other species have a pleasant licorice aroma. Dark red, pink or white flowers give way to star-shaped seed pods, which turn brown and drop seed in the fall.
Is anise a perennial or annual?
Though this shrub is commonly called “anise,” true anise is a perennial herb while so-called anise shrubs are woody evergreens, growing 10 to 15 feet in height and width. The two species most commonly grown in the United States, Florida anise (Illicium floridanum) and yellow anise (I. parviflorum) are both toxic when ingested, but can be used in potpourri. Florida anise is hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 or 8 through 10, while yellow anise is hardy from zones 8 through 10. In the wild, this shrub grows on a variety of soils in mostly shady, moist sites, as beneath other trees along streams.
