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Among the plants blooming at the end of the season, the autumn anemone stands out favorably. This is the tallest and most unpretentious of the anemone. She is also one of the most attractive. Of course, in the autumn anemone there is no catchy, bright crown beauty, which immediately catches the eye and makes it stand out against the background of other flowers. But, believe me, coming up to a bush of Japanese or hybrid anemone, you will not be able to take your eyes off the elegant plant for a long time.
Of course, each flower is beautiful in its own way. But autumn anemones deserve more attention than our gardeners give them. They seem to have stepped out of paintings made in the traditional Japanese style. The beauty of autumn anemones is exquisite and airy, despite its impressive size. At the same time, the anemone does not cause trouble for the owners and can grow with little or no care.
Types and varieties of autumn anemones
This group includes four species and one subgroup of rhizomatous anemone:
- Japanese;
- Hubei;
- grape-leaved;
- felt;
- hybrid.
They usually go on sale under the general name "Japanese anemone". This is due to the fact that these anemones are really similar to each other, and it is difficult for a layman to understand the differences. In addition, in fact, garden centers most often sell hybrid anemone obtained from wild relatives living in China, Japan, Burma and Afghanistan.
Let's take a closer look at the autumn species and varieties of anemone.
Japanese
Some sources claim that Japanese and Hubei anemone is one species. It is believed that the anemone came to the Land of the Rising Sun from China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it was introduced there and underwent some changes. But since even among scientists there is no one opinion on this unity, and flowers do have differences, we will give their descriptions separately.
Japanese anemone is a perennial herb with creeping, horizontal rhizomes. In species plants, the height reaches 80 cm, varieties can grow from 70 to 130 cm. The leaves of this anemone are three times pinnately dissected, with toothed segments, painted green with a gray tint. The varieties are made to have a bluish or silvery shade.
Simple flowers of anemone are collected in groups at the ends of branched stems, in natural conditions they are colored white or pale pink. The buds open in early autumn. Varietal anemones have flowers of brighter colors, they can be semi-double.
The Japanese anemone prefers loose, moderately fertile soils, but, if necessary, is content with any soil. It is easy to care for; for the winter it requires shelter only in regions with severe winters with little snow. It grows well on its own, but does not like transplants.
Pay attention to the varieties of Japanese anemone:
- Queen Charlotte - deep pink velvety flowers of an anemone 7 cm in diameter are covered with a bush 90 cm high;
- Prince Henry - the height of the anemones can reach from 90 to 120 cm, the flowers are large, red, but in poor dry soil they can become pale;
- Whirlwind - semi-double snow-white flowers appear at the end of summer, anemone grows up to 100 cm;
- September Charm - grows above 100 cm, large simple pink anemones are decorated with a golden mean;
- Pamina - one of the earliest Japanese anemone red, sometimes even burgundy, blooms at the end of July and grows no more than a meter.
Hubei
Unlike the previous species, it grows up to one and a half meters, its flowers are smaller, and the large leaves are dark green. The anemone blooms in late summer or early autumn, painted white or pink. The varieties of this anemones were created so that the bushes were stunted and more suitable for home gardening.
Popular varieties:
- Tikki Sensation - from August until frost, white double flowers bloom on miniature anemones up to 80 cm high (silver medal at the international exhibition Plantarium-2017);
- Crispa - the anemone is distinguished by corrugated leaves and pink flowers;
- Precox is an anemone with crimson-pink flowers;
- Splendens - anemone leaves are dark green, flowers are red.
Grape-leaved
This anemone came to Europe from the Himalayas and is found at an altitude of up to 3 thousand meters. Prefers sandy wet soils. The leaves of the anemone can be five-lobed and do resemble grape leaves. The flowers are modest, white or slightly pink. While the anemone itself grows up to 100 cm, the size of the leaf plate can reach 20 cm.
This anemone is rarely grown in our gardens, but participates in the creation of hybrids.
Felted
The anemone of this species begins to bloom from late summer or early autumn, in nature it grows up to 120 cm. It is believed that it is the most cold-resistant and hardy to adverse external influences. It is not recommended to grow this anemone in the southern regions. Anemone leaves are pubescent on the underside, few flowers are pale pink.
Of the varieties, Robutissima can be distinguished up to 120 cm high and pink fragrant flowers.
Hybrid
This anemone is a hybrid of the anemones listed above. Often varieties of species are also included here, which leads to some confusion. But as you can see in the photo, anemone is really very similar. The leaves of a hybrid anemone usually do not rise more than 40 cm above the ground surface, while flower stalks rise a meter. The buds appear for a long time, their color and shape are varied.
Anemonic hybrids prefer abundant watering and grow well on loose, fertile soils. On poor soils, the size and color of the flowers suffers.
Look at the photos of popular varieties of hybrid anemones:
- Serenade - double or semi-double pink flowers reach a diameter of 7 cm, anemone bush - up to a meter;
- Lorelei - an anemone about 80 cm high is decorated with flowers of a rare silver-pink color;
- Andrea Atkinson - dark green leaves and snow-white flowers adorn an anemone up to 1 m high;
- Lady Maria is a miniature anemone, not even half a meter high, decorated with white single flowers, and grows very quickly.
Autumn anemones care
Planting and leaving for anemones blooming in the fall, it is not difficult.
Seat selection
Autumn anemones can grow in partial shade. Where you place them depends on the region. In the north, they feel good in the open, but in the southern regions, with an excess of sun, they will suffer. All anemones do not like the wind. Take care of their protection, otherwise tall, delicate autumn anemones can lose their petals and lose their decorative effect. They need to be planted so that trees or shrubs cover them from the windy side.
All anemones, except for hybrid ones, are not very demanding on soils. Of course, completely worked out soil will not suit them, but there is no need to be zealous with manure.
Planting, transplanting and reproduction
Anemones have fragile roots and do not like transplants. Therefore, before lowering the rhizome into the ground, think carefully if you want to move the anemone to another place in a year.
It is best to plant anemones in the spring. Fall species and varieties may even bloom late in the season. Autumn planting undesirable, but possible for rhizome anemone. Just finish digging long before the frost so that the roots have time to settle down a bit.
The soil for planting the anemone is dug up, weeds and stones are removed. Poor soils manure, ash or dolomite flour is added to acidic ones. Planting is done so that the rhizome of the anemone is buried in the ground by about 5 cm. Then watering and mandatory mulching are performed.
It is better to combine the transplant of anemones with dividing the bush. This is done in early spring, when seedlings have just appeared on the surface, and not more often than once every 4-5 years.
The main thing is to do everything carefully, trying not to injure. The anemone is dug up, freed from excess soil and the rhizome is divided into parts. Each must have at least 2 growth points. If necessary, in the spring, you can carefully dig up the lateral offspring of the anemones and transplant to a new place.
Seasonal care
When growing anemone, the main thing is watering. The soil must be well-drained, as moisture stagnation at the roots is unacceptable. In the spring, watering is carried out no more than once a week, and only when there is no rain for a long time. In hot dry summers, it is advisable to moisten the soil daily. Watering is especially important during bud formation.
If, when planting in autumn or spring, you brought in a lot of organic matter under the anemones, they can not be fertilized until the end of the first growing season. In subsequent years, during the formation of buds, feed the anemone with a mineral complex, and in late autumn, mulch it with humus - it will serve as spring fertilizer.
Further care is manual weeding - the roots of the anemone are located close to the surface. Therefore, loosening of the soil is not carried out; instead, it is mulched.
Preparing for winter
In autumn, the aerial part of the anemone is cut off only in the southern regions; for other regions, this operation is postponed to spring. The soil is mulched with manure, compost, hay or peat. Where winters are harsh and there is little snow, the anemone can be covered with spruce branches and spunbond.
Conclusion
Graceful, delicate autumn anemones will decorate your autumn garden and do not require much care.
