Anemone – Japanese Anemone – Easy to Grow Tall Perennial

Japanese Anemone are perennials that are characterised by tall stalks and flat wide single flowers in an array of different colours. They are simple to grow but in heavy shade tend to get leggy and require support. This is especially true for the Japanese Anemone but there are varieties such as the ‘wood anemone’ that grow closer to the ground and ideal for more shady areas.

Popular hybrids like the ‘Richard Ahrens’ can grow up to 1 metre tall and has flowers of 7-8cm across. The contrasting pale pink with dark pink edge and vivid yellow stamens make a pleasing contrast with lush green surroundings. They are easy to grow and will spread if not restrained.

In the winter they will recede back to the tuberous roots and re-appear in the spring provided the roots have not been waterlogged.

Due to their height and little need for attention they are a good option for mid flower border or informal cottage garden and will attract insects and other wildlife to add to the an overall healthy ecology.

Anemone Japanese 1

Rank

Species

Names

Scientific name:

Anemone x hybrida

Common Names:

Japanese Anemone

Genus:

Anemone

Family:

Ranunculaceae

Related Plants:

Buttercup, Clematis, Aquilegia

Growing Conditions

Position:

full sun, partial shade

Soil Type:

sandy, loamy, chalky, clay

Soil pH:

acid, neutral, alkaline

Moisture:

moist, well drained

Similar Posts

  • Pieris Japonica – Andromeda

    Pieris japonica  is a hardy evergreen flowering shrub that has distinctive new red leaves early in the season. These new red leaves turn yellow then green as they mature. Certain cultivars can have very dark red leaves.

    • Plant Family – Part of the Ericaceae family or heath family, same as rhododendron, heathers, cranberry and blueberry, and my favourite bilberries. 
    • Native to – These flowering plants are native to China, Taiwan and Japan, especially in the mountainous regions.
    • Common Names – It is often called the Andromeda. 
    • Flowers – The flowers are small and bell shaped, similar to lily-of-the-valley. Colours ranging from reddish pink to white.
    • Foliage – The leaves usually start red when they first emerge, fading to yellow, light green and through to dark green as they mature. Being evergreen the leaves are glossy and leathery in form.
    • Height and Spread – Typically a slow growing shrub that can stay within 3 to 6 feet tall and wide, although they can develop into a more straggly, woody tree up to about 12 feet.
    • Position – These plants thrive in a shaded or partially shaded location with a well drained soil, acidic side. This makes them ideal in a woodland garden, or any moist, shaded and cool position. Too much sun or frost can scorch the leaves and turn them brown. They need regular water in dry conditions but don’t like soggy wet conditions.

    Overall, in the right position they can be a trouble free, easy to maintain plant that gives a splendid splash of colour in the spring and maintain its foliage all year round. Just remember it is an acid loving plant and if you have neutral or alkaline soil it will require specific acidic feed to keep it going.

    Pieris Japonica 4

    Rank

    Species

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Pieris japonica

    Common Names:

    Andromeda

    Genus:

    Pieris

    Family:

    Ericaceae

    Related Plants:

    Rhododendron, Heathers, Cranberry and Blueberry

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    partial shade

    Soil Type:

    sandy, loamy

    Soil pH:

    acid

    Moisture:

    moist, well drained

  • Convolvulus arvensis – A Pain In The Grass

    Convolvulus arvensis, commonly known as field bindweed, makes a pretty show in the local wildlife meadow. However, if it’s allowed the space to prosper, it can be a real pain to subdue. If it invades farm crops then it can be hard to eradicate and cause loss of production.

    It is one of many species in the family Convolvulaceae or bindweed family. In the garden we mainly see its bigger brother, the giant bindweed (Calystegia silvatica), that grows higher and further than the field variety. 

    Field bindweed has smaller pink and white flowers, less trumpet like, and smaller arrow-shaped leaves. It grows close to the ground and in a meadow situation has many more vigorous plants to compete against. Still, makes an attractive plant in the right situation.

    Convolvulus arvensis - field bindweed

    Rank

    Species

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Convolvulus arvensis

    Common Names:

    Field Bindweed

    Genus:

    Convolvulus

    Family:

    Convolvulaceae

    Related Plants:

    Calystegia, Morning Glory, Moonflower

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    full sun, partial shade

    Soil Type:

    chalky, clay, sandy, loamy

    Soil pH:

    weak-acid, neutral, alkaline

    Moisture:

    moist, well drained

  • Meconopsis – Himalayan Poppy

    Meconopsis is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Papaveraceae or Poppy family. These plants are often known for their beautiful blue petals, but they also come in a variety of purple, white and yellow. Commonly referred to as Himalayan Poppy as they are found natively in the Himalayan Mountains. Given their natural habitat, these plants are fairly hardy, but remain difficult to because being monocarpic they only flower and set seed only once.

    Meconopsis Taxonomy

    The name comes from the Greek for ‘poppy like’, and so other Poppy type flowers were Meconopsis genus. Most Poppies are listed in their own Papaver genus, Papaver being Latin for Poppy, but the Meconopsis genus is kept separate for these Himalayan flowers. All poppies belong to the Order Ranunculales, or Buttercups.

    Meconopsis Strathspey Himalayan Poppy single

    Rank

    Genus

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Meconopsis

    Common Names:

    Himalayan Poppy

    Genus:

    Meconopsis

    Family:

    Papavercaceae

    Related Plants:

    Poppy, Buttercup

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    partial shade, sheltered

    Soil Type:

    clay, loamy

    Soil pH:

    acid, neutral

    Moisture:

    moist, well drained

  • Camassia quamash

    Camassia quamash is a herbaceous perennial that resembles Bluebells and Hyacinth. That’s because it belongs to the same family Asparagaceae. Native of North America they are hardy in non-extreme climates. They readily spread if not contained to fill up any welcoming environment.

    Camassia quamash

    Rank

    Species

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Camassia quamash

    Common Names:

    camash

    Genus:

    Camassia

    Family:

    Asparagaceae

    Related Plants:

    Bluebells, Hyacinth

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    full sun, partial shade

    Soil Type:

    chalky, sandy, loamy

    Soil pH:

    acid, neutral, alkaline

    Moisture:

    moist, well drained

  • Saxifraga cotyledon

    Saxifraga cotyledon is a beautiful arctic-alpine flowering plant that grows in Iceland, Scandinavia the Alps and Pyrenees. The flowering stem comes from a rosette of furry succulent leaves in May or June, whilst other side rosettes await their turn. The red accented, white petals give a striking display in a sunny, well drained rocky environment.

    Saxifraga cotyledon Southside Seedling

    Rank

    Species

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Saxifraga cotyledon

    Common Names:

    Saxifraga ‘Southside Seedling’

    Genus:

    Saxifraga

    Family:

    Saxifragaceae

    Related Plants:

    Astilbe

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    full sun, partial shade

    Soil Type:

    sandy, loamy, chalky

    Soil pH:

    neutral, alkaline

    Moisture:

    well drained

  • Helleborus Orientalis – Lenten Rose

    Helleborus orientalis is a hardy perennial plant that will flower early in the growing season and provide some colour and interest In the garden border even when the spring temperatures are chilly. 

    • Plant Family – Part of the Ranunculaceae family or Buttercups. 
    • Native to – These flowering plants are native to Greece, Turkey and the Caucasus, especially in the mountainous regions.
    • Common Names – It is often called the Lenten rose due to it flowering throughout the calendar period known in ‘christian’ lands as Lent. 
    • Flowers – The flowers are, as most Buttercups, a cup shape and are many shades of maroon, purple, pink, white and even a green tinge. They tend to droop and face the ground once fully bloomed.
    • Foliage – The dark green, glossy leaves grow in a rosette form around the main stem with the flower emanating from the centre. These leaves are palmate, dissected into long this fingers with sawtooth edges. The stems are thick and hardy. Once they have flowered the leaves will last throughout the winter, gradually turning brown and drying out. These can be pruned back to keep the plant looking fresh or just left to wither and decay, depending on the look you want produce.
    • Height and Spread – Typically grows to a height of 12 to 18 inches and can spread about 18 inches. These plants tends to spread over time into a cluster.
    • Position – These plants thrive in a shaded or partially shaded location with a well drained soil, more on the acidic side, but tolerant of alkaline. This makes them ideal in a woodland garden, or any moist, shaded and cool position. Too much sun or frost can scorch the leaves and turn them brown.

    Overall, Hellebores are an ideal flowering plant that can be left to grow year on year, in the right conditions, and provide an interesting feature before many other garden flowers have emerged from winter.

    helleborus orientalis

    Rank

    Species

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Helleborus Orientalis

    Common Names:

    Hellebore, Lenten rose

    Genus:

    Helleborus

    Family:

    Ranunculaceae

    Related Plants:

    Anemone, Aquilegia, Clematis, Delphinium, Helleborus, Ranunculus (Buttercup)

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    full shade, partial shade

    Soil Type:

    chalky, loamy, clay

    Soil pH:

    weak-acidic, neutral, weak-alkaline

    Moisture:

    moist, well drained