Growing Anemone
Both plants love the sun but will tolerate part shade in hot areas. In general, they also want great drainage as the tubers will rot in damp soils.
There are several different species sold but the most common ones are Anemone coronaria and Anemone blanda. The differences are below.
A. coronaria
A. coronaria is a tender plant that fits into the category of early summer blooming in a light to sandy soil.
It loves hot dry summers if you can give it a touch of shade during the hottest part of the day.
These are frost sensitive plants and the most commonly sold are: ‘de Caen’ with single flowers and ‘St. Brigid’ with double flowers.
In the fall, dig the tubers and store dry at 50-55°F (10-13°C).
It is advisable to leave them in the ground and cover them up if you can but they do not take freezing. (USDA zones 8 hardiness)
You can easily grow them in pots and start them 2 to 3 months ahead of gardening time to flower profusely in a window box or pot.
Assume you’ll get 4 weeks of bloom from each tuber and the flowers will be 12-inches tall. The ‘Mona Lisa’ series will come in around 20-inches tall.
Which way is up?
When you get them, you’ll ask “which way is up?” :-) Only the plant knows so the easiest trick is to soak them for an hour in luke warm water and then plant them on their edge. They’ll bust right up. If you insist on planting flat and level, then don’t worry – the shoot will turn corners and it knows which way is up.
A. blanda
A. blanda is often found now and it is a rhizome not a bulb.
They want adequate spring moisture in part shade or sunny gardens and a dry summer dormancy if you want them to survive the following yea
This is an excellent plant for the rock garden as it is a sub-alpine species.
Leave in the garden from year to year and should be hardy into zone 5.
If you water it in the summer, you’re killing it.
Other anemone commonly found are herbaceous perennials and will be covered at my perennial garden website.
If you want to ask about growing spring flowering anemone, click here
