North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Illicium floridanum

Illicium floridanum Ellis

florida anise tree, florida star-anise

Cultivar(s): Alba, Compactum, Halley's Comet, Pink Flower Form, Semmes, Shady Lady

Illicium floridanum (Florida Anise Tree)

Image ID: 12953
Image by: Cressler, Alan M.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: ILFL
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Illicium floridanum
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-09-27

CULTIVAR INDEX

Cult_id	Cultivar_name	Action
55	Alba	View
42	Compactum	View
573	Halley's Comet	View
176	Pink Flower Form	View
574	Semmes	View
575	Shady Lady	View

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: ILLIC
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Illicium
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Anisetree
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 42 species, shrubs and trees, of temperate and subtropical se. Asia and se. North America (se. United States, Cuba, Haiti, and e. Mexico). Morris et al. (2007) studied the evolution of the genus and revised its sectional taxonomy; New World and Old World taxa form separate clades, treated as separate sections, our species being in section Cymbostemon.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Vincent in FNA (1997); Morris et al. (2007); Keng in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993); Stone & Freeman (1968).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: ILLICI
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Illiciaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.C. Smith 1947
FAMILY COMMON: Star-anise Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of 1 genus and about 42 species, shrubs and trees, of temperate and subtropical se. Asia and se. North America (se. United States, Cuba, Haiti, and e. Mexico). The family is most closely related to the Schisandraceae, Austrobaileyaceae, and Trimeniaceae.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Keng in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 6-10 ft. tall

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Shrub, Tree

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION: Evergreen

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: Apr-June

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
			x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Red burgundy flowers

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
	x							x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: GA, FL, AL, MS & LA

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Florida anise-tree is a useful evergreen shrub, easy to grow and tolerant of most conditions. This Southeastern native shrub develops a compact rounded form that is excellent for screening purposes. Unusual maroon-purple flowers in the spring, followed by fruits that are whorled in shape and reddish-brown at maturity. The leaves have a pleasant licorice-like aroma, especially when crushed. Prefers shady sites and moist to wet soil. If grown in sun the leaves are yellower, not nearly as handsome.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 6
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE: 2
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly, Hummingbird Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
892	1985-0572			View
1951	1986-1739			View
2291	1986-2122			View
2880	1987-0405			View
4845	1994-0054			View
6560	1996-0190			View
6563	1996-0193			View
6678	1996-0329			View
6869	1998-0075			View
6939	1998-0146			View
6961	1998-0170			View
7370	2000-0113	2000-03-29		View
7496	2000-0254	2000-08-21		View
8563	2006-0142	2006-08-01		View
8656	2006-0261	2006-09-21		View
8668	2006-0273	2006-09-21		View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
1660	892	166	NCBG staff	1979-01-01	View
3112	1951	6	NCBG staff	1986-12-22	View
3968	2291	94	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
4782	2880	8	NCBG staff	1985-06-25	View
4783	2880	8	NCBG staff	1985-06-25	View
7246	4845	27	NCBG staff	1994-12-15	View
9266	6560	142	NCBG staff	1996-06-06	View
9270	6563	142	Liloia	1996-03-25	View
9439	6678	119	NCBG staff	1967-12-01	View
9731	6869	166	NCBG staff	1997-11-07	View
9801	6939	163	NCBG staff	1998-03-11	View
9826	6961	166	NCBG staff	1998-04-22	View
10353	7370	171	NCBG staff	2000-03-24	View
10518	7496	166	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
12202	8668	179	Stern	2007-12-15	View
12206	8656	168	Stern	2007-12-15	View
12244	4845	45	Liloia	2011-12-20	View
12245	8563	45	Liloia	2011-12-20	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: ILFL
USDA Common Name: Florida Anisetree
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Tree, Shrub

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW				FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Illicium floridanum
COMMON NAME: Florida Star-anise
SYNONYMY: [= Fl, FNA, GW, K, S, WH3]
PHENOLOGY: Apr-Jun.
HABITAT: Acid ravines and small stream swamps.
COMMENTS: Sw. GA west to e. LA. Most closely related to I. mexicanum. Sparingly naturalized north of its native range from plantings, as along Black Creek, at Kalmia Gardens, Hartsville, Darlington County, SC (D. Hope, pers.comm. 2008).
RANGE MAP: Illicium floridanum.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Illiciaceae A.C. Smith 1947 (Star-anise Family)
SUMMARY: A family of 1 genus and about 42 species, shrubs and trees, of temperate and subtropical se. Asia and se. North America (se. United States, Cuba, Haiti, and e. Mexico). The family is most closely related to the Schisandraceae, Austrobaileyaceae, and Trimeniaceae.
REFERENCE: Keng in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Illicium L. (Anisetree)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 42 species, shrubs and trees, of temperate and subtropical se. Asia and se. North America (se. United States, Cuba, Haiti, and e. Mexico). Morris et al. (2007) studied the evolution of the genus and revised its sectional taxonomy; New World and Old World taxa form separate clades, treated as separate sections, our species being in section Cymbostemon.
REFERENCE: Vincent in FNA (1997); Morris et al. (2007); Keng in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993); Stone & Freeman (1968).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Illicium floridanum in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Illicium floridanum in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Illicium floridanum in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Illicium floridanum in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Illicium floridanum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Illicium floridanum

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 12953 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 12953 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 7353 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 12953 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)