‘Orion’ (‘NCIH2’) Anise Tree comes from the work of Dr. Tom Ranney of NCSU. He crossed Illicium floridanum with Illicium mexicanum to come up with the white flowered Illicium x ‘Orion’. The green lustrous foliage is evergreen and prefers some shade, especially in winter. All Illiciums bloom throughout most of the year with little sea anemone-like flowers. The foliage is both fragrant and highly deer resistant.