Wood anemones: planting, flowering time & types of anemones
Wood anemones are a delight to behold and, being one of the first flowers of the year to bloom, signify the beginning of spring. Discover some of the varieties available and learn how to grow wood anemones in your own garden.
Wood anemones (Anemone spec.) form carpets of flowers in woodland areas and are a firm favourite of ramblers and walkers. Following on from winter aconites (Eranthis) and snowdrops (Galanthus), wood anemones can bloom as early as February and are a sign that winter is drawing to an end. Luckily, these flowers are suitable for growing in your garden as well. Read on to find out how and where to plant these perennials and learn about some of the different wood anemone species available.
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Wood anemones: origins and characteristics
Native to parts of Britain and Europe, wood anemones are a member of the buttercup family of plants known as Ranunculaceae. They are commonly known as windflowers, an alias which derives its meaning from the Greek god of wind, Anemos, after which anemones are named. As rhizomatous perennials, wood anemones lay dormant under the ground until the light penetrates through the deciduous canopy and brings them back to life. The native wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) produces upright mounds of deeply-divided green leaves up to 25cm high and spread slowly underground via their rhizomes. From March to May, the wood anemone flowers rise above the foliage and consist of six to seven white sepals 2 to 4cm across with yellow anthers.
Colourful wood anemones varieties
Along with the native white flowering wood anemone, Anemones nemorosa are also available in some other pastel colours. Here is a selection of some of the best varieties to grow in your garden:
- ‘Alba Plena’: small double white flowers with a ruffled centre. Grow to 10cm high. Later flowering in April to May.
- ‘Allenii’: single blue-pink flowers with yellow stamens that tend to nod. Grows to 20cm tall. Flowers April onwards. Having been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this plant has shown to perform reliably well in the garden.
- ‘Cedric’s Pink’: white flowers that take on a pink-purple tinge as they age. Reaches a height of 15 – 20cm. One of the earliest to flower in March to April.
- ‘Lismore Blue’: single blue flowers with yellow stamens. Grows to 15cm high. Flowers April to May.
- ‘Ploeger’s Plena’: semi-double white flowers with green outer bracts. Grows to 15 – 20cm high. Flowers from March to April.
- ‘Robinsoniana’: a well-known and popular variety with pale violet-blue flowers. Grows to a height of 15cm. Flowers around April. RHS Award of Garden Merit.
- ‘Royal Blue’: royal blue single flowers with a contrasting yellow centre. Grows to 15cm tall. Flowers April to May.
- ‘Frank Waley’: an Anemone ranunculoides cultivar that produces bright yellow flowers. Grows to around 15 –20cm high. More vigorous than other types. Flowers around April.
How to plant wood anemones
To mimic their natural deciduous woodland environment, wood anemones prefer to be planted in a slightly shaded spot that receives a little sun. Along with partial shade, wood anemones favour a well-drained and humus-rich soil that is kept moist. At the time of planting, it is a good idea to enrich the soil with leaf mould or garden compost. Our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost is ideal for adding to the soil as it is not only well-draining, but also provides essential nutrients to help get your wood anemones off to a good start.
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Wood anemones form small clumps generally around 40cm across. To give them enough room to thrive, keep a planting distance of around 20cm between plants, depending on the cultivar. Although slow-spreading, wood anemones can form large carpets over time. If you need to control their spread, simply dig up those on the fringes to give away or pot up.
Anemones are sometimes available to purchase as potted plants in spring for planting out straight away. However, these plants will need frequent watering over the summer months. Purchasing dormant wood anemone bulbs or rhizomes in the autumn is much more cost effective. Before planting your rhizomes, soak them in water for a few hours to rehydrate them. Then plant the rhizomes horizontally either directly in the ground or in pots, at a depth of 7cm. Always wear gloves at all times when handling wood anemones, as they contain a toxic substance.
Tip: to enrich the soil and help prevent moisture loss, apply an annual mulch of garden compost or leaf mould in spring.
Wood anemone care
Once established, wood anemones do not generally need watering unless they are grown in pots. Nevertheless, you will need to water those grown in the ground after planting and during the first season until their roots have settled. As perennials, wood anemones die back each year only to re-emerge the following spring. For this reason, they do not require any pruning. As long as the soil is fertile you do not need to fertilise wood anemones grown in the ground. You can feed those grown in containers with a balanced liquid feed during the growing season. As a low-growing plant, you do not need to stake or support any of the cultivars mentioned earlier. However, if you choose to grow the slightly taller poppy anemone (Anemone coronaria) short supports can be of benefit.
Are wood anemones hardy?
Wood anemones are hardy perennials and are rated H5, which indicates that they can survive temperatures as low as -10 to -15 °C.
Are wood anemones poisonous?
Yes. Wood anemones contain a compound called Anemonin, which is toxic to both pets and humans. It may cause skin irritation if you touch it, which is why gloves are essential when handling anemones. It can also cause nausea, vomiting and can even be fatal if ingested.
Slightly different from the wood anemone, the florist or poppy anemone (Anemone coronaria) produces bowl-shaped flowers in a wide range of vivid colours. You can learn more about its origins and how to grow this tuberous perennial in our separate article.
