Virginia Tech Dendrology

yellow anisetree Illiciaceae Illicium parviflorum Michx. ex Vent. symbol: ILPA
Leaf: Alternate, evergreen, simple, elliptical, thickened, to 36 inches, entire margin, fragrant (anise) when crushed; shiny green above, paler and glandular below.
Flower: Species is monoecious; yellow-green, borne singly on long stalks, 1/2 inch across, with numerous long thin petals, appearing in spring, somewhat pungent; appearing early summer.
Fruit: An inconspicuous star-shaped cluster of woody follicles.
Twig: Moderate to stout, yellow-green to gray-brown with red to green buds, terminal buds large and clustered, distinctly imbricate, leaf scars football-shaped, lateral buds minute.
Bark: Gray-brown and smooth.
Form: A multistem shrub to 15 feet, with a lesser spread, suckers from the roots.
Looks like: Florida anise tree

Additional Range Information: Illicium parviflorum is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information