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Japanese Anemone Wikimedia Commons
Ranunculaceae

Japanese Anemone

Anemone hupehensis

Anticipation, sincerity, fragile beauty.

Family
Ranunculaceae
Genus
Anemone
Native to
China
Bloom season
Fall
Type
Perennial
Height
60–120 cm (2–4 ft)
Sunlight
Part shade
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
4–8
Lifespan
Long-lived perennial

Did you know

  • Despite the name, Japanese anemones are originally Chinese—they were brought to Japan centuries ago and from there to Europe by plant hunter Robert Fortune in 1844.
  • Each delicate flower dances on the slenderest of stems—the genus name 'Anemone' comes from the Greek 'anemos' (wind), because they tremble in the lightest breeze.
  • Few perennials bloom this late in the year—Japanese anemones light up shady September gardens when almost everything else is finished, lasting through October frosts.
  • The flowers are sterile in cultivated forms—they never set seed but spread vigorously by underground runners, sometimes too vigorously for tidy gardeners.
  • Greek myth says anemones grew from the blood of Adonis after he was killed by a wild boar, and that Aphrodite's tears mingled with his blood to create the flowers.

Color meanings

0

anticipation

1

sincerity

2

fragile grace

Uses

  • Shade borders
  • Cut flowers
  • Cottage gardens
  • Late-season interest