Common Name: Japanese anemone
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Ranunculaceae
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 2.00 to 4.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: August to September
Bloom Description: Burgundy
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Deer
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers fertile, consistently moist, humus-rich, neutral to slightly alkaline soils with good drainage. Best in part shade. Flowering stems tend to flop in too much shade. Prefers sheltered locations with protection from wind. Foliage tends to burn in hot, dry, sunny summer conditions. Soils must not be allowed to dry out. Avoid wet, poorly-drained soils, however, particularly in winter. Plants may not survive wet overwintering conditions. Mulch in cold winter climates. Plants are typically slow to establish. Propagate by division or root cuttings. Will naturalize in the landscape by fibrous suckering roots to form colonies over time.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Anemone hupehensis, commonly called Japanese anemone, is a fibrous-rooted, woody-based late summer to fall flowering herbaceous perennial of the buttercup family that typically grows to 2-2 ½’ tall. Although native to scrubs, grassy slopes and streamsides in central and southwestern China, this anemone was cultivated in Japan for many years over which time it escaped gardens and naturalized to the point where it became mistakenly considered to be a Japanese native. Common name of Chinese anemone is sometimes used for this plant in reference to its true native habitat. This plant typically forms a basal foliage clump to 12” tall of 3-parted, dark green leaves on long petioles. Each leaf has large-toothed margins and is softly pubescent beneath. Long, upright, wiry-but-graceful, branching flower stems rise well above the foliage clump in late summer to 30” tall bearing single, cup-shaped, apetalous flowers (2-3” diameter). Each flower contains 5-7 showy, rounded, pinkish-white to pale rose-mauve tepals (modified petals) with a contrasting green button-like center containing a ring of yellow stamens. Flowers bloom late summer into fall often extending to first frost (late July/August to October).
Var. japonica is native to southern China. It is a natural variant of the species, and typically grows taller (to 2-4’ but infrequently to 5’) than species plants. Semi-double to double apetalous flowers (species plants have single apetalous flowers), each with 20-30 narrow carmine rose tepals, bloom late summer to fall, typically about 2 weeks later than the flowers of species plants. Tepals are longer and narrower than those of the species. Robert Fortune brought var. japonica back to London in 1844.
Genus name is often said to be derived from the Greek word anemos meaning wind.
Specific epithet comes from Hupeh (Hubei) Province in Central China where this plant is native.
Windflower is a common name for plants in the genus Anemone because upright flower stems typically sway in the breeze.
‘Bodnant Burgundy’ is a var. japonica cultivar that grows to 36” tall. Semi-double burgundy-pink flowers (to 3” across). From Bodnant Garden in North Wales.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Taller plants may need some support. Foliar nematodes may feed within the leaves. Leaf spot, downy mildew, powdery mildew and rust may appear. Watch for caterpillars, flea beetles, and slugs.
Uses
Perennial borders, cottage gardens, woodland gardens. Mass or group.