Anise Star Tincture & Alcohol-Free Extract

Anise Star (Illicium verum), the star anise tree, is an evergreen of the Schisandraceae family, native to southern China and northern Vietnam, where it is grown in orchards in Guangxi, Yunnan, and Lang Son. It reaches 8 to 15 meters with smooth grey bark, glossy lance-shaped leaves, and solitary pink to dark red magnolia-like flowers. The fruit is the familiar woody, rust-brown star of usually eight boat-shaped carpels, each splitting to reveal a single shiny brown seed; it is picked before ripening and sun-dried. Its warm, sweet, licorice-like flavor comes from anethole, and it is a core spice of Chinese five-spice powder and Vietnamese pho. We extract the dried fruit.