Forest Green Anise – 3 Gallon

Illicium parviflorum ‘Forest Green’

Create a lush, year-round evergreen backdrop with Forest Green Anise, a durable Southern shrub prized for its glossy deep-green foliage, dense growth habit, and distinctive anise-like fragrance when the leaves are crushed.

Forest Green is especially valuable because it performs in sun or shade, making it an excellent choice for privacy screens, woodland gardens, property lines, large foundation beds, and areas beneath mature trees where many screening shrubs struggle. ‘Forest Green’ is known for holding a darker green foliage color than the straight species, even with more sun exposure.

Plant at a Glance

Botanical Name: Illicium parviflorum ‘Forest Green’
Common Name: Forest Green Anise / Green Anise
Container Size: 3 Gallon
Plant Type: Large evergreen shrub or small tree
Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Evergreen or Deciduous: Evergreen
USDA Hardiness Zones: Approximately 7–10
Mature Height: Approximately 10–15 feet tall
Mature Width: Approximately 6–10 feet wide
Growth Habit: Dense, upright, rounded to pyramidal
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
Sunlight: Part shade to full shade; can tolerate full sun with adequate moisture
Water Needs: Moderate; prefers consistent moisture
Foliage: Glossy, deep olive-green to dark green
Flowers: Yes, but inconspicuous
Bloom Season: Late spring, typically May–June
Flower Color: Yellow-green
Fragrance: Leaves are aromatic when crushed
Deer Resistance: Good
Primary Feature: Large evergreen screening shrub for both sunny and shaded Southern landscapes

Why We Love Forest Green Anise

Forest Green Anise solves one of the harder landscape problems: creating substantial evergreen screening in areas that do not receive full sun.

Its glossy foliage gives a shaded bed a lush, finished look, while its larger mature size provides excellent privacy and background structure.

Unlike many shade-loving shrubs, Forest Green can also tolerate considerable sun when the soil is kept adequately moist.

Sunlight Requirements

Forest Green Anise performs in:

Part shade
Full shade
Filtered sunlight
Morning sun with afternoon shade

It can also tolerate full sun, particularly when it receives consistent soil moisture.

Wright’s Market Recommendation

In southeast Georgia, one of the best locations is:

Morning sun to filtered light with some afternoon protection

It is an especially good choice beneath high tree canopies, along shaded property lines, and on the east or north side of a home.

Watering

Immediately After Planting

Water deeply after planting so the entire root ball and surrounding soil are thoroughly moist.

First Growing Season

Water approximately 1–2 times per week, adjusting for rainfall, temperature, soil type, and sun exposure.

Plants placed in full sun may require additional water during hot Southern summers.

Once Established

Forest Green can tolerate some periods of drought once established, but it performs best when the soil remains evenly moist.

Deep watering during prolonged dry weather will help maintain the richest foliage and strongest growth.

Fertilization

Fertilize in early spring as new growth begins.

Use a balanced, slow-release shrub and tree fertilizer according to package directions.

An acid-loving plant fertilizer can also be used where appropriate.

Avoid excessive fertilization. In rich, healthy soil, Forest Green Anise generally does not require heavy feeding.

Planting Instructions

1. Water the plant thoroughly before planting.
2. Choose a location with enough room for its mature height and width.
3. Dig a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball, but no deeper.
4. Carefully remove the plant from its 3-gallon container.
5. Loosen any tightly circling roots.
6. Position the top of the root ball level with or slightly above the surrounding soil.
7. Backfill with the existing soil.
8. Water deeply to settle the soil around the roots.
9. Apply approximately 2 inches of pine straw or mulch.
10. Keep mulch pulled away from the main stems.

Soil

Forest Green Anise prefers:

Rich soil
Moist soil
Good drainage
Plenty of organic matter

It performs particularly well in woodland-style soils that retain moisture without remaining constantly waterlogged.

Established plants have some drought tolerance but grow best with consistent moisture.

Pruning & Maintenance

Forest Green is naturally dense and requires relatively little maintenance when given enough room.

It can be grown as:

• A large natural shrub
• Evergreen privacy screen
• Informal hedge
• Large foundation backdrop
• Small multi-trunk tree

Best Time to Prune

Prune in late winter or early spring before the main flush of new growth.

Light shaping may also be done as needed.

If growing it as a small tree, lower branches can gradually be removed as the plant matures.

Does Forest Green Anise Flower?

Yes.

It produces small yellow-green flowers, typically in late spring around May and June.

The flowers are subtle and are not the main ornamental feature.

Forest Green is grown primarily for its:

Dark evergreen foliage
Large screening habit
Shade tolerance
Aromatic leaves

Evergreen or Deciduous?

Evergreen.

Forest Green Anise holds its glossy foliage throughout the year, giving landscapes permanent structure and privacy.

This is particularly valuable in shaded areas where finding a substantial evergreen plant can be difficult.

Zone 9 / Coastal Georgia Performance

Forest Green Anise is an excellent choice for southeast Georgia.

It is adapted to approximately Zones 7–10 and performs particularly well in the heat and humidity of the Southeast.

For Zone 8b/9a:

• Part shade is ideal.
• Full sun is possible with adequate moisture.
• Keep newly planted shrubs consistently watered.
• Mulch the root zone.
• Give plants enough space to reach their mature size.

Landscape Uses

Forest Green Anise is excellent for:

• Privacy screens
• Large evergreen hedges
• Woodland gardens
• Shaded property lines
• Large foundation plantings
• Fence screening
• Back-of-border planting
• Naturalized landscapes
• Evergreen specimen shrubs
• Small ornamental trees

Because it can eventually reach approximately 10–15 feet tall and 6–10 feet wide, it is best placed toward the middle or back of larger landscape beds.

Spacing

For individual specimens, allow approximately 6–10 feet of eventual width.

For an informal privacy screen, plants can be spaced somewhat closer depending on how quickly you want the planting to fill together.

Wright’s Market Tip

A 3-gallon Forest Green Anise may look relatively small when first planted, but this is not a small foundation shrub.

Give it enough room to become the large evergreen screen it is meant to be.

Deer Resistance

Forest Green Anise is generally considered deer resistant, making it particularly useful for wooded and rural landscapes.

The aromatic foliage makes it less appealing to browsing deer than many traditional landscape shrubs.

Important Safety Note

Although the foliage has a pleasant anise or licorice-like fragrance, this plant is not culinary star anise and should not be eaten.

The star-shaped seed structures are also not edible.

Beautiful Plant Pairings

Forest Green Anise pairs beautifully with:

Flowering Shrubs
Hydrangeas
Camellias
Gardenias
White Encore® Azaleas

Evergreen Structure
Vintage Jade® Distylium
Soft Touch® Holly
Pringles Podocarpus
Babylon Beauty™ Boxwood

Shade-Loving Texture
Split Leaf Philodendron
Farfugium
Ferns
Carex
Big Blue Liriope
Asiatic Jasmine

Wright’s Market Designer Combination

Try:

Forest Green Anise + white camellias or hydrangeas + Farfugium + ferns + Big Blue Liriope

The Anise provides the tall evergreen backdrop while the lower plants create layers of glossy leaves, soft texture, and seasonal white flowers.

The result is a lush, timeless Southern shade garden.

Why Wright’s Market Loves It

We love Forest Green Anise because it offers something many landscapes need but few plants provide: large-scale evergreen screening that performs beautifully in shade.

It is:

Perennial
Evergreen
Shade tolerant
Sun tolerant with adequate moisture
Deer resistant
Fragrant when brushed or crushed
Excellent for privacy
Well suited to Southern heat and humidity

Wright’s Market Plant Tip

Use Forest Green Anise where you need height and evergreen structure, not where you need a small shrub beneath a window.

Give a 3-gallon plant adequate room now, and it can mature into an impressive 10–15-foot evergreen backdrop.

Please note: Plant height, width, fullness, foliage, and flowering vary depending on season and growing conditions. A 3-gallon Forest Green Anise is a young landscape plant and will continue developing toward its mature size after planting.