Star anise is considered a precious aroma gift from nature. It is widely used in traditional Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine, an indispensable ingredient in Vietnam’s national dish, “Pho”. Not only that, but anise is also popularly used in the Western winemaking and cosmetic chemical industry. In Vietnam, the star anise forests in Lang Son always have a bizarre attraction, especially in the harvest season when its alluring fragrance spreads everywhere. Star anise forest is concentrated mainly at an altitude of 200 – 600m, with an average annual temperature of 18 – 22 degrees Celsius, directly affected by the Northeast monsoon. Usually, anise flowers in two seasons of the year. Main crop (spring crop), flowering plants in late January or early February; sub-season (summer-autumn), from June to October. It’s usually called a flower instead of a fruit, though. Each flower comprises 5-8 diamond-shaped petals arranged in a star or spokes shape.