Herb & Spice Companion

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HERB & SPICE COMPANION

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STAR ANISE

Illicium verum

Flavors: pungent, sweet, intensely

anise-like, with cloves and cassia

This beautiful, star-shaped spice is the fruit of an evergreen magnolia tree native to

China and Vietnam. While it looks like a delicate sculpted ornament—a star with eight

points cradling glossy, brown seeds—

star anise offers pungent, warm flavor.

Its strong anise essence ties it to

similarly flavored spices, like anise and

fennel, but it’s related to neither. Star

anise does, however, share a chemical

with other anise seasonings: anethole,

which is used to flavor candy, gum, and

liqueurs like ouzo and pastis. In addition

to its intense licorice flavor, star anise

also leaves a slightly numb feeling on

the tongue, and its seeds are edible and

somewhat nutty, though less flavorful

than the woody star itself.

In the Garden

Star anise, a perennial, grows in tropi-

cal and subtropical climates, so a green-

house or a warm spot indoors will be

necessary in cooler regions. The trees

often begin fruiting after 6 years, but might take even longer. Once they’re in the

fruiting stage, however, it’s believed they can continue producing for 100 years. The

unripe star anise fruits are harvested while still green and fleshy, and then dried in the

sun, where they harden, develop their flavor, and turn a dark, woody brown.

Size: 25 to 45 feet tall

Container: 3 to 5 gallons for seedlings; transplant to a larger container (at least 15

gallons) after 3 years

HEALTH BENEFITS

Star anise has been used traditionally

to aid digestion and relieve gas, its

shiny seeds chewed to stimulate

gastric juices and freshen breath. It

also contains powerful antibacterial

and antifungal compounds, and is

being researched for its antioxidant

properties. Star anise is a rich source

of shikimic acid, an important chemical

used in the anti-flu medication Tamiflu.

The spice is also believed to relieve

respiratory conditions like cough,

bronchitis, and congestion. Chinese

star anise should not be confused

with the variety from Japan, Illicium

anisatum, which is highly toxic.

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