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Delicate, graceful Japanese anemone became a favorite of European flower growers in the XNUMXth century. Culture does not differ in a colorful palette, but it can become an ornament even to the farthest corner of the garden. You will learn how to grow an ornamental plant in open ground from our article.
Description of the Japanese anemone
The herbaceous perennial belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and is found throughout the temperate climate zone. For late flowering, which lasts from July to October, Japanese anemone is also called autumn. Thanks to the creeping root system, the plant grows very quickly, forming a bright flowering cover.
Depending on the variety of the anemone, it grows up to one and a half meters, forming small bushes with erect medium-leaved shoots. Leaf plates are oval, pinnate, dissected, emerald green color. Inflorescences are umbellate, loose, up to 9 cm in diameter, outwardly resemble chamomile. The structure of the baskets is simple, semi-double or terry. The color is varied, but always with a golden or yellow-green core.
Popular varieties of autumn anemones with photos
Due to the large number of artificially bred hybrids, it is sometimes very difficult to understand which variety the cultivar belongs to. Some biologists believe that Anemone hupehensis, Japanese anemone (japonica), and hybrid anemone (hybrida) are one and the same species. To understand the differences a little, let’s look at some of the most famous varieties.
Crispa
Hubei anemone 0-6 m high blooms from August to October. Baskets of a simple structure, consisting of one row of slightly corrugated petals. Unlike the hybrid Praecox (Precox), which has a more saturated color, in Crispa it is pale pink, with a pearl tint and a yellow-green core.
Pretty Lady Julia
This anemone with semi-double inflorescences looks similar to the Prinz Heinrich or Pamina varieties. It grows up to 0,5-0,6 m, forming compact loose bushes. The petals, like those of Prince Henry or Pamina, are painted in a single pink-raspberry shade. Flowering lasts from the second half of summer until the first frost.
Whirlwind
Culture with lush snow-white inflorescences, consisting of 10-15 semi-double flowers. The height of the bush does not exceed one meter, the leaves are dark green, with a bluish tint. The color of the petals is uniform, without inclusions, the core is bright yellow. The variety is winter hardy, grows best in partial shade.
Honorine Jobert
An unusually tender anemone up to 0 m high. The leaves are dark, with a grayish tinge. Baskets of a simple structure, consisting of one row of slightly wavy petals. The color is monophonic, snow-white, the core is yellow-orange. The cultivar grows well in the sun, but prefers shaded areas.
The most robust
Beautiful felt anemone belongs to tall varieties. The height of an adult bush can reach more than one meter. The leaves are dark emerald, covered with a small pile below. The inflorescences are simple, small, lilac-pink in color, with a dark orange “eye”. Outwardly, Robustissima resembles a dahlia Cheerful guys.
Video “Planting and growing anemones in the garden”
This video discusses the basic rules of crop farming.
Growing and caring for anemones in the garden
Japanese anemone is an unpretentious culture. It tolerates winter well, is not demanding to care for and adapts well to external conditions. However, so that the decorative qualities of the plant do not suffer, and it itself pleases with abundant flowering, it is necessary to observe the agricultural practices of growing in open ground.
Terms of planting
It is best to plant late-flowering plants in the second half of spring or early summer. The bushes will have time to throw out buds that will bloom by the end of August. The perennial can also be planted in the fall. However, this should be done early so that the young plant has time to adapt and not freeze out.
Site and soil selection
Autumn anemone feels comfortable in shaded areas, does not like direct sunlight and drafts. Since the culture has a creeping root system, the distance to other plants should be at least half a meter. A place not subject to stagnant moisture is chosen, but a hill for anemones is also not suitable.
The perennial grows well in nutritious, well-drained soils with good permeability. The reaction of the soil can be neutral or slightly acidic (acceptable pH level is from 5,5 to 7,5).
Planting anemones with tubers and seeds
The landing site is prepared in advance. The earth is dug up, and then weeds, small debris and stones are removed. Humus, peat, wood ash are added to the soil, if necessary, mineral fertilizers are added. Dig holes 15×30 cm in size with an interval of 0,5 m from each other. During the planting of tubers, the following algorithm is followed:
- planting material is soaked in warm water for four hours;
- fill the pots with a mixture of peat and sand, where tubers are placed to a depth of 50 mm;
- when the first sprouts appear, the anemone is transplanted to a permanent place;
- after planting, the soil is slightly crushed and moistened well.
Another way to grow Japanese anemones is from seeds. It consists of the following steps:
- a month before the thaw, the seed material is placed in wet loose sand for several days;
- when the seeds swell, they are sown in a container filled with peat;
- until the first sprouts appear, the container is kept at room temperature, and then taken out into the street, sprinkled with snow and sawdust;
- landing at a permanent place is carried out after the establishment of stable warm weather.
Seasonal care
Since the surface root system of the anemone is not able to get moisture from the lower layers of the soil, the ground around the plant must be constantly moistened. The frequency of watering for an adult plant is once a week. With prolonged absence of precipitation or intense heat, the frequency is doubled. So that moisture does not stagnate, and the soil remains moist longer, a mulch layer is laid on top.
All procedures with the soil must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the roots, and only after watering.
Author’s advice
For the whole season, the culture is fed three times:
- in the spring, after the appearance of the first leaves, humus or other organic fertilizers are applied;
- during budding, mineral compounds are used;
- in the first half of autumn, they are fertilized with nitrogen-free complexes or wood ash.
Methods of reproduction
Autumn anemones do not tolerate transplanting and any interference with the root system very well. You can grow a perennial from seeds, but this method is not suitable for hybrid forms. Most often, flower growers propagate the culture vegetatively, by dividing the bush. Do this in the spring so that the plant has time to adapt before winter. The mother bush is carefully dug out, trying not to damage the roots, and then divided into small rosettes. The cut sites are treated with an antiseptic, after which they are deposited in a permanent place.
wintering plants
In regions with mild snowy winters or in the south, Japanese anemone winters quietly without additional shelter. Preparation for the cold season begins at the end of flowering, cutting off all shoots almost to the base. The soil around is fertilized with humus and stop watering.
In regions with severe winters, cut bushes are covered with dry leaves, peat or humus. Some gardeners recommend covering the plant from above with a spunbond.
Protection against diseases and pests
With proper care, late flowering anemones rarely get sick. Most often, the culture is affected by fungal infections if it grows in groups. It is better to dig up and burn an already infected bush, and spray neighboring plants with a solution of “Fundazol” or “Fitosporin”. For prevention, it is enough to adhere to the irrigation scheme, weed weeds in time, and also treat with fungicides.
Sometimes snails or caterpillars appear on the flowers. If there are not too many pests, they can be removed mechanically. Otherwise, irrigation with insecticides, such as Aktara or Aktellik, will help. Opponents of chemicals can spread ground egg shells, red pepper or dry needles under the bushes.
Often anemones suffer from nematodes. Treatment with nematocides (for example, “Nematodos”) will help to exterminate parasites. You can also plant marigold or nasturtium nearby, which effectively repel roundworms.
It happens that anemones stop blooming. If the problem is not a disease or pests, then most likely the culture does not have enough light or it suffers from a lack of nutrients.
Japanese anemone in landscape design
Autumn anemones are able to decorate any part of the garden. Decorative perennials can be planted in various variations:
- tapeworms;
- curb landings;
- group compositions;
- mixborders;
- for decoration of alleys, paths or arbors.
Despite the narrow palette of colors, the Japanese anemone goes well with almost all garden plants.
To emphasize the individuality of each culture, landscape designers advise such neighbors for anemones:
- junipers, arborvitae or cypresses;
- ferns;
- roses;
- ornamental shrubs.
Delicate, orientally graceful Japanese anemones appeared in Europe not so long ago, but have already managed to occupy their niche in the local gardening. Despite their fragile appearance, perennials are quite stable and unpretentious, which makes them the favorites of flower growers in the middle lane.