Japanese Anemone

Virtues: These perennials bloom in the fall.

Common name: Japanese anemone

Botanical name: Anemone ×hybrida cultivars

Foliage: Oval and medium green.

Flowers: Large, semi-double saucer-like flowers appear from late summer through fall on tall, thin, multibranched stems. 'Honorine Jobert' (shown), 'Andrea Atkinson' and 'Whirlwind are good white-flowered selections. 'Kriemhilde', 'Serenade' and 'Max Vogel' are good pink-flowered selections.

Habit: Upright herbaceous perennial reaching 3 to 5 feet tall. Spreads by underground runners to an indeterminate width.

Season: Fall, for flowers.

Origin: Hybrids of two Asian windflower species, A. huphensis var. japonica and A. vitifolia.

Cultivation: Grow in moist, fertile, humus-rich soil. Takes full sun to partial shade; appreciates more shade in southern part of its range. In prime growing conditions—e.g., consistently moist, loose soil—Japanese anenomes can be aggressive and overtake nearby less vigorous plants. New plants can be removed easily, owing to their shallow, fiborous roots, but their growth can be rapid. To slow unwanted spread, dig up and divide the plant every 2 or 3 years, discarding unwanted portions. USDA Zones 4–8.

Image courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder

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