Illicium anisatum var. anisatum (Japanese star anise, "Shikimi")

Japanese name: シキミ （樒、梻）
Scientific name: Illicium anisatum var. anisatum

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub or small tree 2–5 m tall, said to reach 10 m in some cases.
The branches are green, and they and the leaves have a strong fragrance.
The leaves are simple and alternate, clustered at the upper part of the branches, oblong to oblanceolate, 5–15 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, firm, and entire.
The petiole is 0.5–2.4 cm long.
The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils, 2.5–3 cm across, with 16–24 glossy cream-colored tepals.
The tepals are wavy and twisted.
The fruit is a flat, octagonal follicle 2–3 cm across.
The seeds are yellowish brown and glossy.

[Uses]
It is a poisonous plant, and the fruit in particular is extremely toxic.
The leaves and bark are dried and powdered for use as an ingredient of incense.
The branches are also offered before Buddhist altars and at graves, and the plant is often planted in cemeteries and at temples and shrines.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings or from seed.
Sow the seeds immediately after harvesting.
It prefers partial shade and fertile soil that retains water well and is moderately moist.
It dislikes hot, dry summers, so avoid places that receive the afternoon sun.
Watch for dryness when watering, and water if sunny weather continues.
Apply fertilizer in winter, and also organic fertilizer after flowering as a thank-you fertilizer.
Pests and diseases include sooty mold and scale insects.

[Notes]
The Japanese name is said to derive from "ashiki mi" (bad fruit).

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