Purple Glaze Japanese Star Anise

Illicium anisatum ‘Muraski-no-sato’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub

Height at Maturity: 8-10′

Width at Maturity: 5-6′

Spacing: 4-5′ for solid hedges; 10’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Bushy, Rounded Cone

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: Ivory White with streaks of Pink

Flower Size: 1.5-2″

Flowering Period: Early to Mid Spring

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: New growth emerges Deep Burgundy maturing to Blue-Green with Yellow Variegation

Fragrant Foliage: Yes

Berries/ Pods: Yes NON EDIBLE!

Sun Needs: Full To Mostly Shade, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay soil), Loam, Sandy (Amend to retain moisture), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well-Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.5

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Heat, Insect, Shade

Description

An excellent large evergreen shrub or small tree for growing in full shade to part shade and exceptionally reliable and easy to grow, ‘Purple Glaze’ puts a new twist on Star Anise featuring glossy, very deep burgundy new leaves every time the plant flushes growth during the season. These leaves gradually turn to a deep forest green with attractive yellow variegation aging to chartreuse. Though a whiff of the leaves reveals a pleasant anise scent that tempts the passerby to tear a leaf in order to enjoy the spicy aroma, this one is NOT edible! In early spring 3/4 inch 30-petaled flowers with ivory white petals streak in pink appear in clusters of 3 to 7. Growing to around 10 feet in height and maybe 6 feet wide in a rounded cone shape, Purple Gaze is excellent for use as an evergreen specimen or as a hedge in shady settings.

Landscape & Garden Uses

With an upright habit and rounded form 6 to 10 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide, the Purple Glaze Japanese Star Anise is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings or as a natural evergreen hedge or privacy screen in shady sites. Also ideal for use in home foundation plantings to frame corners or as espalier (trained to grow flat against a wall) between widely-spaced windows or on windowless walls. A fine addition to shade and woodland gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 4 to 5 feet apart for solid hedges; 10 feet or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

Star Anise is very easy to grow in organically rich, moist but well-drained soils in full shade to part shade. Direct afternoon sunlight is best avoided. No pruning necessary. That said, plants can be clipped to control height or for shaping purposes.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to get helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Anise.

How To Plant & Care For Anise Shrubs & Trees

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Wilson Brothers provides quality plants with careful packaging. This Anise looks great and is growing nicely.—————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I have been extremely pleased with healthy, strong plants
Received, and will continue to shop with Wilson.———————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG