Fuji no Shirayuki Japanese Anise. I found this most unique variegated Japanese anise in a rare-plant nursery in Japan with pewter colored leaves sporting irregular white margins. And it is amazingly vigorous considering the amount of variegation. I knew that it had to have a correct Japanese cultivar name, but just recently Mikinori Ogisu, a noted Japanese plantsman and author, was able to give me the correct Japanese cultivar name. As with all cultivars of this species, it flowers here in late March to early April with star-like white flowers, similar to the species, but not quite as large. Site it in filtered sun in a soil with good drainage and uniform moisture. Anywhere an Azalea is happy, this species will do well. It will grow to about an equal height as spread, and in ten years it may reach 3-4 ft. We have had no deer or rabbit-related problems with it as with most species in the genus Illicium. Like other Japanese Anise, the seedpods are poisonous. The only Anise which is safe to use for culinary purposes is Illicium verum, whose seed pods closely resemble those of Illicium anisatum. All of these Illiciums appear to be very cold-hardy, even lower than zone 7.
Zones 7-9
