S & J Nursery’s
Red Florida Anise
( illicum floridanum Anise)
OUT OF STOCK ( this page is kept for informational purposes only as we are no longer growing this selection )
Red Florida Anise Origins:
– Red Florida Anise / illicum floridanum is a Florida native and I
perfect for shady garden sites that may remain moist after long periods of rain.
Red Florida Anise / illicum floridanum Preferred Exposure:
– Red Florida Anise / illicum floridanum should be located in a shaded area of the landscape in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine areas gardens. Morning sun with afternoon shade
Red Florida Anise / illicum floridanum Anise Foliage:
– Large light yellow to olive green colored foliage has a thick almost leathery feel to the leaves.
– Evergreen foliage has a strong licorice scent when crushed or cut.
Red Florida Anise Soil Preference / Salt tolerance:
– Red Florida Anise is remarkable adaptive to a wide range of soil components and moisture levels, from wet to dry and sandy to clay. These Florida native plants are found growing naturally in moist areas and make an ideal plant solution for poorly draining garden sites.
– Recommended for use in poorly drained areas that will stay wet during our heavy rain season, as well as drier landscape areas.
– Red Florida Anise has a low salt tolerance and should be avoided on coastal properties.
Red Florida Anise / Illicum floridanum Size Variance:
– Classified in gardening books as a shrub red flowering Anise will reach
sizes of 10-15+ feet High and 6-10 feet wide.
Red Florida Anise Growth Habit:
– Red Florida Anise shrubs have a naturally oval shape that is ideal for a low
maintenance hedge.
Red Florida Anise Growth Rate:
– Moderate to fast growing shrub quickly establishes itself into the landscape.
Red Florida Anise / illicum floridanum Bloom:
-Small deep maroon red flowers of the illicum floridanum are more noticeably than the yellow flowering variety and are really quite pretty on the plant when it is in bloom each
spring.
Red Florida Anise Water Requirements:
– Red Florida Anise is moderately drought tolerant once established into the
landscape but native to the wetter areas of Florida.
– Perfect plant selection for areas that tend to hold water after extended
rains.
Best Uses For Red Florida Anise:
– Red Florida Anise is a great choice for a fast growing shrub for shaded areas of the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area gardens and landscapes.
– Use them as the backdrop to the perennial border or as a hedge screen that is just perfect for a pest free privacy fence.
Care of S & J Nursery’s North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine
Shrubs:
– Shrubs can be planted in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area at any time during the year. In normal and well draining soils dig the hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Plant the top of the root ball level or slightly higher than the surrounding soils. When
planting in poorly drained soils make sure to plant your shrubs a minimum of 3 inches ABOVE the surrounding soil level.
– Water every day during the establishment period. For most 3 gallon size shrubs in the North Florida landscape in average soil, that is neither heavy clay that holds water or really sandy that will take 2-3 weeks of daily watering to ensure that your newly planted shrub will begin to put out new roots and grow into its new home happily. After the first few weeks begin tapering back your watering to every other day then every third day and so on until your newly planted items are flourishing without your assistance.
– If planting larger shrubs you may need to extend the initial care a bit longer to protect your investment and get your shrubs off to the best start possible.
– IMPORTANT: If planting shrubs in heavy clay soils that hold allot of water after a rain or irrigating, remember to check the soil for moisture by sticking your fingers into the soil near the root ball of the newly planted shrub down to 2-3 inches. If it remains wet from the previous watering wait for the top 2-3 inches to dry out before watering again.
– IMPORTANT: When planting shrubs into poor sandy soils be sure to amend the planting hole by mixing compost or cow manure etc. with the native soil that will go back in the hole around the
new plants root ball when installing your shrub material, this will not only give your new shrubs good soil to grow its new roots into but help it hold water.
– When planting shrubs from containers be sure to loosen the roots as much as possible pulling loose roots away from the root ball before installing your new plants, if the roots are to tight to easily loosen with your hands use a knife to cut a few slits into the root ball being careful to go all
the way from the top to the bottom and making the cut at least an inch deep. This will ensure that your plant will immediately begin to form new roots into its new surrounding soil.
– Mulch newly planted shrubs whenever possible.
– Fertilize each spring with a mixture of Milorganite or Green Edge and a slow release poly coated plant food such as Osmocote or Stay Green general purpose plant food, sprinkling the fertilizer around the mulch circle underneath the foliage of the tree
– Prune as needed to shape each spring and or summer.