Southern Living® Florida Sunshine Illicium

Year-Round Yellow Foliage Brightens Up Shaded Spaces

Looking to brighten up a shaded space year-round? The Florida Sunshine Illicium delivers bold color in one easy-care package. This standout evergreen shrub features vibrant, chartreuse foliage that intensifies to brilliant yellow in fall and pale gold in winter. As temperatures drop, the red-tinted stems provide striking contrast for extra visual interest.

Smaller and more compact than its parent species, the Florida Sunshine grows in a dense, upright habit that reaches about 4–6 feet tall. It features fragrant, anise-scented foliage and is ideal for woodland borders, shady foundations, or bright accents in low-light garden beds.

Whether you're designing a serene woodland garden or want to bring year-round brightness to your foundation plantings, the Florida Sunshine Illicium is an unbeatable choice. With fragrant foliage and unmatched seasonal color, the Florida Sunshine Illicium is a four-season standout for shaded landscapes. Grow yours today!

About Southern Living®: The Southern Living® Plant Collection was created to bring gardeners plants that truly thrive in real-world landscapes. Each variety is carefully selected and rigorously tested to ensure it performs beautifully—especially in challenging Southern conditions like heat and humidity. Since its introduction in 2008, the collection has focused on offering reliable, solution-driven plants with outstanding color, form, and durability, so you can garden with confidence and enjoy lasting results.