Garnishes

Star Anise

Star anise is the dried, star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, an evergreen from southern China and north-east Vietnam. It tastes of liquorice because it carries anethole, the same compound as aniseed, though the two plants are unrelated. Its job in drinks is seasoning hot batches, a whole pod at a time: two in about a litre of mulled wine, three in a bigger punch.

Quick Facts

Legal categoryFood

OriginSouthern China and north-east Vietnam; China is the main producer, followed by Vietnam.

Flavour Strengthvery bold

Our keeping timeWhole: two to three years airtight.

Storage

Airtight and dark: whole pods keep their oil for years.

Allergens

None of the 14 listed allergens.

The ingredient

About Star Anise

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

AniseedLiquoriceWarm spice

Tasting Notes

Anethole’s sweet liquorice warmth with a resinous edge: louder and rounder than aniseed, from a pod that looks carved rather than grown.

Illicium verum is an evergreen tree native to southern China and north-east Vietnam, and China grows most of the world's crop. Its fruit is picked just before it ripens and dried into the familiar star. Aniseed is a different plant altogether, a small herb of the carrot family. Both carry anethole, which is why they taste so alike.

Japanese star anise is poisonous

A close relative, Illicium anisatum, is grown in Japan as a sacred tree and burned as incense; its fruit contains anisatin and related toxins. In 2003 the US Food and Drug Administration advised against teas containing star anise after about 40 people, 15 of them infants, fell ill over two years with seizures, vomiting and jitteriness, all of whom recovered. Broken or ground, the two species are hard to tell apart, so buy whole pods from a seller who names Illicium verum.

Two pods season a litre

Our hot batches scale the pods to the volume, with the other spices alongside.

Star anise in our hot batches

Mulled Wine

Liquid in the pot: About a litre
Star anise: Two pods
Also in the pot: Two cinnamon sticks, six cloves

Hot Spiced Cider

Liquid in the pot: 1.2 litres
Star anise: Two pods
Also in the pot: Two cinnamon sticks, six cloves

Spiced Rum Punch

Liquid in the pot: About two litres
Star anise: Two pods
Also in the pot: Three cinnamon sticks, four cloves

Fireside Punch

Liquid in the pot: About 2.25 litres
Star anise: Three pods
Also in the pot: Four cinnamon sticks

Recipe	Liquid in the pot	Star anise	Also in the pot
Mulled Wine	About a litre	Two pods	Two cinnamon sticks, six cloves
Hot Spiced Cider	1.2 litres	Two pods	Two cinnamon sticks, six cloves
Spiced Rum Punch	About two litres	Two pods	Three cinnamon sticks, four cloves
Fireside Punch	About 2.25 litres	Three pods	Four cinnamon sticks

Anethole keeps coming out while the pot sits, so a batch held warm for an afternoon tastes more of aniseed by evening than it did at first. In the Mulled Wine or the Fireside Punch, taste after half an hour and lift the pods out once the aniseed sits level with the cinnamon.

A whole pod seasons and garnishes

Few spices look as good floating on a cup as they taste in it. Whole pods also keep their scent for years, while ground star anise fades within months and stays in the drink once it is in.

Using it

Using Star Anise

Usage

Whole pods in a hot batch, added at the start: two for about a litre of Mulled Wine or Hot Spiced Cider, two in the Spiced Rum Punch and three in the Fireside Punch, which runs past two litres. Lift them out if the pot will sit warm for long.

Pro Tip

Float one whole pod on each cup as it is served rather than ladling out the spent ones from the pot. It looks deliberate, adds a fresh breath of anise at the rim, and keeps the count in the pot where the recipe set it.

Top Tips

Count the pods for the volume: two for about a litre, three past two litres.
Count broken pieces as part of a pod; a fragment carries the same oil.
Buy whole pods sold as Chinese star anise or Illicium verum, from a seller who names the species.
Taste a held pot every half hour; the aniseed keeps building.

Production Method

The star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, harvested just before it ripens and dried. Each point holds a seed, and the flavour comes mainly from anethole.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What is star anise?

The dried fruit of Illicium verum, an evergreen from southern China and north-east Vietnam, shaped as a star of usually eight points. It is unrelated to aniseed, which comes from a plant in the carrot family; they taste alike because both carry anethole, the compound the tongue reads as liquorice.

How much star anise goes in a batch?

Two pods for about a litre, as in our Mulled Wine and Hot Spiced Cider; three for a punch past two litres, as in the Fireside Punch. Beyond that the drink tastes of aniseed and little else. It also keeps extracting, so a pot held warm for hours grows stronger.

What drinks use star anise?

The hot spiced batches. In our recipes that means the Mulled Wine, Hot Spiced Cider, Spiced Rum Punch and Fireside Punch, each with cinnamon sticks and most with cloves. A pod suits a drink already carrying those spices, and it easily overwhelms a delicate cold one.

Is star anise safe?

Chinese star anise, Illicium verum, is an ordinary food spice. Japanese star anise, Illicium anisatum, is toxic, and in 2003 the US Food and Drug Administration warned against teas containing star anise after about 40 people fell ill, some with seizures. Buy whole pods from a seller who names the species.

How can you tell Chinese from Japanese star anise?

Not reliably by eye. Japanese star anise is described as smaller, with a weaker smell closer to cardamom than to aniseed, and whole fruits differ slightly in shape, but dried or broken pieces are hard to separate; regulators use chemical tests. A pod that does not smell strongly of aniseed should not go in a drink.

Is star anise the same as aniseed?

No. Aniseed is the small seed of Pimpinella anisum, a plant in the carrot family, while star anise is the fruit of a Chinese tree. They taste alike because both carry anethole. Star anise is the one used whole in hot batches, because the pod lifts out; loose aniseed would need straining.

How long does star anise keep?

Whole pods stay fragrant for years if sealed tight and kept dark and cool. Ground star anise fades within months and, once in a drink, cannot be lifted back out. Snap a pod and smell it: a strong, sweet aniseed note means it is still good.

Make something

Made with Star Anise

Featured In These Cocktails

Mulled Wine Hot Spiced Cider Fireside Punch Spiced Rum Punch

Often Used With

Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 11 October 2026

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