🌸 Japanese Anemone (Anemone × hybrida)

Description

Japanese anemones bring a graceful, airy touch to late-summer and fall gardens. Rising on tall wiry stems, their delicate pink or white flowers dance in the breeze from August until frost. They brighten up part-shade borders and woodland edges when many other perennials are fading.

Ideal Uses

• Woodland or cottage-style borders

• Shady garden edges under trees

• Pairing with ornamental grasses and hydrangeas for fall drama

Plant Profile

• Type: Herbaceous perennial

• Height/Spread: 2–4 ft tall, 1–2 ft wide

• Light: Part shade to filtered sun

• Soil: Moist, well-drained, enriched with compost

• Bloom: Late summer to frost (pink or white, depending on cultivar)

• Hardiness: USDA zones 4–8

Maintenance Tips

• Keep soil evenly moist, especially in summer

• Mulch to retain moisture and protect roots in winter

• Divide clumps every 3–4 years if they spread too vigorously

Design Notes for Japanese Anemone

Japanese anemones add elegance to mixed borders, where their tall stems rise above groundcovers and shorter perennials. Pair with hostas, ferns, hydrangeas, or ornamental grasses for a layered fall look. White cultivars like ‘Honorine Jobert’ glow in twilight gardens, while soft pinks like ‘September Charm’ bring romance.

Ecological Notes

• Pollinator-friendly: attracts bees and late-season hoverflies

• Provides nectar when fewer blooms are available

• Deer and rabbit resistant

Cautions

• Can spread aggressively in ideal conditions—choose placement carefully

• Some sap may cause skin irritation

More Information

https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/easy-breezy-anemones-bloom-above-and-beyond-others/

https://www.thespruce.com/japanese-anemone-4800132