July Plant of the Month

Anemone

A. x hybrida 'Lady Gilmour'
A. x hybrida 'Whirlwind'
A. sylvestris 'Macrantha'

Anemone (a.k.a. Wind Flower) are members of the family Ranunculaceae and like their cousins the Aconitum (which we explored last month) they are often considered to be indispensable to the late summer garden. The colors gold, russet and bronze predominate in the August, September landscape so the clear whites and pink of Wind Flower are a delightful addition to any semi-shaded area.

In mythology Anemone was known to the Greeks as the daughter of the wind and the blooms which bear her name are borne on long slender stems held high above the deeply lobed foliage, so that they dance and sway with the slightest breeze. The fall blooming Anemone x hybrida are also know as Japanese Anemone - a confusing misnomer as they are not native to Japan. They actually do not have a native range as they are entirely human contrived, being produced over 100 years ago by European plantsmen hybridizing several species native to China.

Anemones are easy to grow and not particularly fussy about soil type or light levels. Although, if grown in full sun, they will request regular supplies of moisture. They make excellent ground cover as they spread to fill gaps created from the decline of the spring and summer show stoppers, but are by no means invasive, being quite gentle and easily controlled as they tend to resent disturbance. If necessary, early spring movement is best with as little disruption to the roots as possible. Planting from plugs or containers later in the season is a good alternative.

Anemone is quite a large genus with over 120 species, some of which are native to North America. Some species bloom in spring, others in summer and autumn. All have underground stems (rhizomes) which allow for seasonal dormancy, most of the spring blooming 'bulbs' are ephemeral whereas the fall blooming beauties do not make their presence overtly obvious until well into the warmer weather allowing for a good cover for spring bulb foliage.

You may find that the names A. x hybrida and A. huphensis seem to be used interchangeably. A. huphensis is just one of the parents in the mixed up breeding of A. x hybrida but many early references utilized this species for simplicity sake and the confusion is continuing to the present day.

The cultivars of Anemone x hybrida are reliably hardy to zone 5 but can easily come through a zone 4 winter with some judicious mulching. The earlier flowering species tend to be hardier at a zone 3 comfort level.

A. x hybrida 'Lady Gilmour' (A. hupehensis 'Crispa')
Known as the parsley leaved Japanese Windflower. The foliage is truly unique in this cultivar, being very ruffled and curled much like a garnish, in addition the leaves become a lovely golden yellow in the fall just to add to the season of interest. The large flowers are double and a lovely soft pink with a golden center. This cultivar is somewhat less vigorous than many others so expect it to be slow to spread. 'Lady Gilmour' was first described in literature in 1895 but disappeared from nursery catalogues many years ago and was thought to be lost to the trade. However she was recently rediscovered in an English garden and released under the name of 'Crispa'. It took a couple of years to figure out that they were the same plant, but you will find it listed under both names - a situation that needs to be rectified. 'Lady Gilmour' blooms in late summer into fall when the flowers rise to 3-4' (1.2m), the foliage reaches a height of about 2' (60cm).

A. x hybrida 'Ouverture'
Masses of single lilac pink flowers from August through September. This harder-to-find cultivar is worth looking for due to its ease of growth and the strong stems which support the flowers that reach a height of about 32" (80 cm).

A. x hybrida 'Whirlwind'
The semi-double, pure white flowers reach 4" (10 cm) across and rise to a height of 3-4' (110 cm). White is an essential color for any garden, providing a calming segue between more vibrant specimens. This can be especially welcome during the late summer bloom time of 'Whirlwind' the October flowers have often withstood a light fall frost. Easy to grow and generally easy to find, this cultivar also make an excellent cut flower.

A. hupehensis 'September Charm'
As the cultivar name implies this is another of the fall blooming Wind Flowers with lovely soft pink, single flowers in autumn. The undersides of the petals tend to be darker giving a multi tonal effect as the flowers flutter in the wind. This cultivar is on the smaller side reaching a height of 2-3' (80-100 cm) and a spread of 15-24" (35-60 cm).

A. sylvestris 'Macrantha'
Known as the Snowdrop Anemone, this selection is a beautiful addition to the spring garden. Large, white flowers appear in April and May and have a lovely fragrance - very welcome after a winter of dormancy and dreariness. The woolly seedheads extend the season of interest into the early summer but timely removal can help stimulate periodic rebloom throughout the summer and especially into the fall. All A. sylvestris cultivars are happier in a woodsy/humusy location in part shade and are hardy in zones 3-8. 'Macrantha' will reach a mature height of 18" (45 cm) when in bloom with the flowers appearing before most of the foliage.