Did you know that even though Star Anise and Anise Seed have the same name, they are in fact completely different spices?? ... so NO anise seeds are not the seeds picked out of the Star Anise!! Anise is a herb from the parsley family that produces small seeds with a strong liquorice like flavour. Whereas Star Anise is the star-shaped fruit of a tree - a member of the magnolia family - native to warmer climate areas in southern China and Indochina. These unrelated plants contain the same flavour compound a substance called anethole.
