Florida anise

Illicium floridanum

Family: Schisandraceae

Pet & Human Safety

People: Toxic to people (low severity)Pets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

fruits, leaves, seeds

Preparation

Not applicable; this is an ornamental plant, not food.

Hazard type

ingestion poisoning (NC State: 'poisonous to humans and livestock if ingested'); NC State explicitly warns this plant is not a substitute for the culinary star-anise spice, and notes most Illicium species/cultivars besides I. verum (true star anise) carry varying toxicity

Hazard route

ingestion

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

Pet verdict: not listed, no ASPCA page exists for this species or any Illicium species, and NC State's own tags name only children and horses, never dogs or cats. For people: NC State and UF/IFAS both independently say the plant is poisonous if any part is eaten (NC State rates it Low severity). Despite the anise smell, NC State is explicit this is not a substitute for culinary star anise, do not eat it.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Care

Hardiness zones: 7a to 10b (NC State); UF/IFAS gives 8 to 10 for Florida planting, with relative tolerance for freezes.
Water needs: moderate to high
Mature size: 6 to 10 ft tall, 6 to 8 ft wide
Where it comes from: Southeastern US coastal plain, Florida to Louisiana, and northern/central Mexico. UF/IFAS confirms native to Florida.

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

Get the app: coming soon