Welcome autumn with Japanese anemone — a cheerful perennial that pollinators love! Learn how to grow this low-maintenance plant.
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How to Grow Japanese Anemone
- Common names: Japanese anemone, windflower, thimbleflower
- Scientific name: Anemone x hybrida
- Growing zones: 4 to 8
- Light needs: Part shade or full sun
- Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
- Grown for: 2-to-3-inch flowers in late summer and early fall
- Staking: Use vertical support as needed for better-looking growth habits.
- Cultivars to try: ‘Elegans’ is an award-winner with strong stalks and light pink flowers.
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies
When other flowers begin to fade, Japanese anemone perks up in late summer and fall with happy pink and white blooms. This perennial does fine in most conditions but prefers a just-right soil: not too wet and not too dry. An eastern-facing garden border or a more naturalized spot beneath some trees are great options.
Japanese anemone grows up to approximately 3 feet tall when in bloom and 2 feet wide. Dark green foliage provides striking contrast against bright flowers. Note that Japanese anemone has a tendency to spread aggressively via rhizomes once established. It’s best to place it in a section of your landscape with abundant space where it’s not likely to crowd out other beloved plants.
Check out the ultimate guide to growing anemone flowers.
Benefits of Japanese Anemone for Gardeners
Japanese anemone brightens up landscapes at a time when other plants have stopped blooming. Flowers generally stay past the first frost, too, providing much-needed color as the weather starts to cool. Even better, some of the most common culprits for garden difficulties leave them alone: they’re resistant to deer and rabbits.
For those looking to attract more pollinators to their backyard garden, this plant is a great choice. Bees and butterflies enjoy spending time at the beautiful flowers.
Cultivars to Grow
Cultivars to consider include ‘Elegans,’ an award-winner with strong stalks and light pink flowers, white flowering ‘Honorine Jobert,’ chosen as the Perennial Plant Association’s Plant of the Year in 2016, and ‘Fall in Love Sweetly,’ which features semidouble pink flowers that butterflies love and lots of dark green foliage.
Sources
- Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension, “Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’“
