Star anise is a unique and distinct spice that comes from the fruit of a small evergreen tree native to China and Vietnam, known as Illicium verum. Its star-shaped structure includes of eight segments, each containing a small seed. Star anise has a dominant licorice flavor with hints of clove owing to its high concentration of anethole.
There are two main crops of star anise which are spring and autumn. Star anise from different crops will have different features in terms of appearance and taste. Before you purchase star anise in bulk quantity, you need to know the differences between two crops.