Windflower Overview
Anemone is a genus of around 120 species of perennial flowering plants originating from many different parts of the world. For this reason, different species have different growing needs and Anemones in cultivation are typically divided into three main groups. Broadly, they are: spring-flowering species originating from woodlands and alpine habitats (often with rhizomes or tubers): tuberous plants from warm origins with hot, dry summers, flowering in spring and early summer; larger, taller herbaceous species that have fibrous roots originating from moist grassy sites and open woodland. So be sure that you know what kind of Anemone - or Windflower, as it's also known - you're taking on and how it likes to be treated! Anemone flowers tend to be saucer- or cup-shaped, each with a mass of stamens in the centre and the leaves of most are attractively and deeply lobed (segmented). Grow the larger species of Anemone (e.g. Anemone huphensis var. japonica) in borders, while smaller species (e.g. Anemone blanda) are more suited to woodland or rock gardens. Detailed cultivation is dependent on the type of Anemone but it's safe to say that most species are best planted in autumn and that none of them like to be in wet soil in winter. Another common feature is that Anemones naturalise and spread freely under the right conditions. While often welcome in the smaller species, the larger ones can become invasive.
