Other Names:  Star Anise

Description:

Glossy evergreen foliage emerges dark purple, and smells like anise when crushed; produces star-shaped seeds that are toxic in quantity; makes a fine hedge or can be limbed up as a tree; prefers shade but can adapt to full sun with adequate moisture

Ornamental Features

Deep Purple Japanese Anise Tree is primarily valued in the landscape for its ornamental upright and spreading habit of growth. It is clothed in stunning creamy white star-shaped flowers with buttery yellow eyes at the ends of the branches from early to mid spring. It has attractive forest green evergreen foliage which emerges deep purple in spring. The fragrant narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain forest green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Deep Purple Japanese Anise Tree 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.

Deep Purple Japanese Anise Tree is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Deep Purple Japanese Anise Tree will grow to be about 18 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 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 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.