Other Names:  Purple Glaze Anise, Murasaki-no-sato Illicium

Description:

Glossy evergreen foliage emerges burgundy and turns dark green with chartreuse centers; creamy white flowers with pink streaks in spring; prefers shade but can adapt to full sun with adequate moisture

Ornamental Features

Purple Glaze Illicium is clothed in stunning creamy white star-shaped flowers with chartreuse eyes at the ends of the branches from early to mid spring. It has attractive dark green foliage with pointy chartreuse spines which emerges burgundy in spring. The glossy narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It produces brown capsules in mid summer.

Landscape Attributes

Purple Glaze Illicium is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Purple Glaze Illicium is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Purple Glaze Illicium will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in partial shade to full shade. Keep it well away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, 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.