Star anise
Star anise (Illicium verum) is a spice plant which tastes like anise. The star shaped fruits are harvested before they start ripening. Star anise is native to China and Vietnam, but it is now grown in many other parts of the world, including India, Indonesia, and Japan.
There are two main types of star anise: Chinese star anise and Japanese star anise. Chinese star anise is the most common type of star anise and it is the type that is used in most cooking. Japanese star anise is less common and it has a more bitter taste.
Star anise is a member of the Illicium family, which also includes the tree that produces the poisonous Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum). Japanese star anise is not edible and it should not be confused with Chinese star anise.