Illicium parviflorum BananAppeal® (yellow anise tree)
BananAppeal is half the size as other small anise-trees, forming a 3-4' tall by 3-4' wide, round shrub. So this one has a different shape, being a lower mound, rather than an upright-oval form like FLA Sunshine.
Small anise-tree grows wild in moist, woodland soils, but this species transitions well to typical home-garden and landscape conditions (provide some irrigation during times of bad drought).
We don't know why the common name is "anise-tree" when it's clearly a shrub; sometimes a large shrub, but a shrub. Even though the common name is small anise-tree, we're asked for yellow anise-tree when people are looking for the yellow-leaved types, so we've taken to calling it that too.
Yellow anise-trees are great for a shadowy, moist corners of your garden, but BananAppeal has the reputation for being more sun tolerant and resistant to the yellow leaves bleaching out in full sun exposure. I have not experience that myself - we do see leaf bleaching, but, in truth, I don't mind it at all. Sunlight brings out the real yellow, even though it's a slightly bleached real yellow. In shade the leaves are chartreuse.
BananAppeal and FLA Sunshine are similar, but different. Let us know if you need help considering which one is best for your garden. Both bring unrivaled glow and cheer to winter gardens, dark moist garden corners, and gray days.
Thank you First Editions® for another terrific shrub. We've seen it mistakenly called "Banana Appeal", but the trademarked name is BananAppeal.
- winter interest (bright leaf color)
- evergreen screening shrub
- deer resistant
- large screening shrub
- spreads by suckers and densely colonizes an area
- great for planting in low-lying wet areas in the shade
- heat tolerant
- Winter: yellow
- Spring: yellow
- Summer: yellow
- Fall: yellow
No, there is no stinky fish odor from the flowers of small anise-tree.
Are the seeds edible?
They are not edible, that's a different species: Illicium verum, star anise.
Do the leaves have a scent?
Yes, they smell like anise when crushed. It smells great! Even though it smells like a spice, the leaves aren't edible. Also, the deer don't like the strong anise smell, so they don't eat this plant. A deer has not told me this personally, but the conventional gardening wisdom is that deer don't like the leaves becuase they don't like strong-smelling plants.