Windflowers are familiar flowers to most gardeners. Alpine, woodland or perennial border, all have available a broad selection of anemones to choose from. The Japanese Anemone (A. hupehensis) and its many hybrids would probably be most familiar to perennial borders. Woodlanders would have a full range of species to select from, including A. nemorosa. Alpine gardeners find many favorites including aplennina and narcissiflora.
The anemone has long been a favorite in gardens going back into antiquity. Long enough for the origin of it's name to be lost in time. To quote Sterns Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners:
"often said to be derived from Gr. anemos, wind, with which there is no evident connection, but more likely a corrupted Greek loan word of Semitic origin referring to the lament for slain Adonis or Naaman, whose scattered blood produced the blood-red Anemone coronaria...".
While some are handy with a sword ending a life, others can't end a sentence.
However they acquired the name, windflowers are responsive to not only wind, but also other weather related factors in their environment. Many species have relatively long and slender stems with large flowers. The slightest breeze can cause the flower to move. Petals on some species remain closed if rain is eminent, or open late on a heavily clouded day. Some species dispense their seeds to the wind on cottony puffs similar to dandelions.
There are some 120 species of windflowers. Fortunately for U.S. gardeners, the majority of those species are native to cooler regions of the world. Some confusion exists in literature about exactly what is and is not an anemone. Hepatica was once listed with anemone, but now has status on it's own within Ranunculaceae. Blooms illustrate the relationship to anemone, but the foliage is definitely different, making the split obvious to a gardener. Pulsatilla is not so obvious. Foliage and flower still closely resembles the anemones I know and grow.
My introduction to anemones began with the woodland species. Some years later, my favorites remain among the shade-lovers. Thus far they have all been not particularly demanding, making them easily grown plants. They usually form spreading mats or colonies in nature and are most effective when used in multiplies for the garden.
Basic requirements for success begin with the soil. Before planting work large amounts of organic matter into the soil. A loose, open soil is needed for a free root run, allowing the anemone to easily form attractive colonies. Light mulch each fall of chopped leaves is ideal. While they have a preference for some shade, they will do best in flowering with as much light as you can arrange without full direct sun. An eastern exposure, or beneath shrubs and deciduous trees works best.
The following species are certainly not a comprehensive list. It is intended to be more of an introduction and encouragement to use these plants in your woodland garden. I can not imagine a shade garden without several species of anemone. Included are anemones that I have grown in my garden and the ones I want to grow. The "I wannas" is as long as, or longer, than the list of "I gottas". If you have any tendencies toward collecting, be forewarned. Anemones are like potato chips or buttered movie theater popcorn. You can not have just one nibble and then walk away. Their easily grown beauties can be downright addictive.
American Wood Anemone
Anemone quinquefolia can be found growing in woods throughout the US and lower part of Canada. In spite of the wide range, it is not seen in catalogs or gardens all that frequently. Perhaps some of this is due to its somewhat quiet and quaint appearance when compared to other members of the family. Bloom period is in latter April, with foliage emerging slightly earlier, so the timing makes this an attractive addition to the ephemeral garden.
There is one bloom to the stem for each plant. What appears as petals are, in reality, sepals numbering 4 - 9, reaching about an inch across. Color is a soft white, occasionally with pink flushing or aging to pink. Foliage is easily recognized. The plant will have three leaves, each on individual stems arranged in a whorl. One leaf will be larger than the other two with the leaf divided into five leaflets, the remaining divided into three's. Overall height is around four to eight inches.
Occasionally, a selected form will be offered in catalogs, but I have yet to locate one that truly stands apart from the species.
European Wood Anemone
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Anemone nemorosa is widespread throughout Europe in deciduous woods, forming large carpets. Foliage is similar to the American wood anemone but slightly larger, more full and heavy in appearance, with leaflets a bit more cut. Stems are not arranged in whorls. Overall height is usually around 8 to 12".
This species also tends to be more assertive in growth and while not invasive, soon forms nice colonies in the garden. Cloudy or rainy weather, along with the approach of night causes the blooms to close and nod, as if taking a short nap.
Color of bloom can vary in the wild. The species is normally white on the inside of the petals. The outside can have or take on a flush as they age. That blush can range from reddish to purple and violet-blue. The species is quite variable in the wild, resulting in many named selections and cultivars to collect. There are no "bad" selections of A. nemorosa, just better, best and lust. Roots resemble yellow-brown sticks with knobby eyes, rambling horizontally just beneath the soil surface. They are easily divided in early spring or late fall after dormant, with just after dormancy the preferred time.
My first European wood anemone species was soft white with a violet-blue blush in a small dimple on the outside of the petals. It did not receive the kindest of treatment, being placed in a bit too much light and poor soil. In spite of the abuse, it remains in the garden years later; blooming each early spring, going dormant by the first part of July.
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A. nemorosa 'Robinsonia', a selection with violet-blue blooms was my next order. The color is soft and gentle, so it should be placed fairly close to a garden path for best effect. Normally I order starts of the anemones in minimums of three. This way the roots soon form reasonable colonies.
My favorite companion plant is the variegated Solomon's Seal. When first emerging, the asparagus-like tips are a deep burgundy. It is very attractive pushing up through the violet-blue blooms of the anemone. The variegation of light green and white, along with bell-shaped blooms of white begins just as the anemone is completing it's bloom cycle. After the anemone goes dormant, the Solomon's seal remains until first hard freeze of late fall.
Thanks to the wonders of the World Wide Web, and all the gardeners who have come on line, my collection of A. nemorosa has increased nicely in only a few months. The following named selections are in my holding area for the first year display before moving to the garden for a permanent place.
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A. n. 'Bowles Purple' has rosy-purple buds with lustrous gloss turning to a deep soft blue when the petals open. Foliage has a purple tint. |
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A. n. 'Flore Pleno' is a clean white blooming double. |
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A. n. 'Royal Blue' has dark blue blooms. |
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A. n. 'Vestal' is one of the best, having clean white blooms with a white pompon center. |
Two others I have in the holding area, but do not have descriptions for at this time, are A. n. Dee Day and A. n. Lady Doneraile.
Some named selections I have become aware of through catalogs and reference materials have formed into a list. Any are worth having if located. Just the ones I have seen that appear often enough to catch my eye have ended up here.
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A. n. Leeds variety has the largest white flower. Reverse is pink. |
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A. n. Greenfingers has flowers of white with a puff of green petals in the center. |
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A. n. Lychette has large white blooms. |
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A. n. Alba Plena double white flowers with a later bloom date. |
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A. n. Blue Beauty, large soft blue blooms having a silvery reverse to the petals. Foliage has a bronze tint. |
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A. n. Allenii large white double flowers. |
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A. n. Blue Bonnet is late blooming with large blue flowers. |
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A. n. Rosea has white with pink reverse when opening, then aging to all pink. |
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A. n. Vindobonensis is a light cream color in bloom. |
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A. n. Viridiflora is an oddity. Petal, anther and style all form a moss-green puff. |
There are other names referred to in literature, but have no description I could locate. Those are not listed here. I would suspect that if one had a good colony established of all these selections, some would be the same plant traveling under different names, especially among the whites and blues.
Yellow Wood Anemone
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Anemone ranunculoides is similar in all respects to nemorosa, including the root system. The flowers are slightly smaller in size, petals much heavier in appearance. Color is a cheery yellow with a waxy sheen very much resembling a buttercup bloom. This species is quite showy when an established colony is in bloom. It is early deciduous, going dormant around the last of June, along with nemorosa.
There are a couple of selections to seek when collecting the yellow wood anemone. The most commonly available is "Flore Pleno" with double flowers. The one I received has blooms slightly smaller in size than the single. The tiny pet