How to Plant and Grow Japanese Anemone

Japanese anemones, also known as windflowers, add a timeless grace to any late-summer or fall garden with their beautiful, nodding blooms on long, wiry stems. The foliage isn't particularly interesting, but the flowers fill the midsummer-to-fall gap in gardens, appearing when few other perennials bloom. These perennials come in many shades of whites and pinks, with petals ranging from single rows to frilly doubles.

Where to Plant Japanese Anemone

Plant Japanese anemones in the garden in an area that receives partial sun to partial shade. Plant them beneath trees in a woodland or cottage garden, border, or naturalized area. They aren't picky about soil other than it must be well-draining, but rich soil is desirable for the best blooms.

How and When to Plant Japanese Anemone

Plant Japanese anemone plants in the spring or fall when the weather is warm, and the soil is moist. To plant nursery-grown Japanese anemones, dig a hole in the garden twice as wide and the same height as the nursery container. Amend the soil with compost for good drainage and add some organic matter, such as aged manure or leaf mold, to the bottom of the hole. Slip the plant from its container and set it in the hole so it sits at the same height as in the container. Backfill the hole, pressing down lightly on the soil to remove air bubbles. Water the plant. When planting more than one, space them 1-2 feet apart.

Gardeners who can find species seeds can sow them in prepared soil after the last frost of spring, but first, they must refrigerate them for six to eight weeks in a moist medium. Many Japanese anemones are hybrids that don't produce seeds, and the availability of packaged seeds is limited, making this planting method less popular than buying nursery-grown plants. Also, plants from seed take longer to flower.

Japanese Anemone Care Tips

Anemones don't require much maintenance to display spectacular blooms.

Light

Planting Japanese anemones in partial sun to partial shade protects the foliage from drying out, but don't plant them in too much shade, where the plants might become leggy and flop over. Too much shade also reduces the number of flowers.

Soil and Water

For the best results, plant Japanese anemones in well-drained soil rich in organic matter. The extra organic matter keeps the soil consistently moist, which is essential to prevent the foliage from drying up or the leaf edges from turning brown and crisp, especially in warm Southern climates.

Temperature and Humidity

Japanese anemone thrives in warm 70°F to 80°F but tolerates the cooler temperatures of fall. It is hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and prefers average to moderate humidity.

Fertilizer

This plant only needs to be fertilized twice a year: in the spring and again in the fall. Apply organic compost or a balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 formulation, following the package directions.

Pruning

Japanese anemone plants overwintering in the garden will die back in cold weather. They benefit from a 2-inch layer of mulch. In the spring, gardeners should remove old foliage before growth begins and deadhead the flowers in fall.

Potting and Repotting Japanese Anemone

Japanese anemone plants are easy to grow in containers. Select a container with drainage holes and fill it with potting soil or garden soil amended for excellent drainage. The container should be big enough for the plant and have plenty of room to spread. This is a fast-growing plant, so repotting may be needed soon. Choose a larger container and fill it with fresh planting medium.

Depending on the zone, the containers may need to be moved indoors for winter and put in a cool area, such as a basement or garage, where the temperature doesn't drop below 32°F.

Pests and Problems

Pests to watch out for include caterpillars, flea beetles and slugs.

In shady locations, keep an eye out for powdery mildew, which can be a mild nuisance. Overwatering and soil that doesn't drain well may cause root rot.

How to Propagate Japanese Anemone

The best way to propagate Japanese anemones is to divide them in spring as the plants emerge. Dig up a mature plant and divide the root clump into two or three sections using a sharp spade. Plant them immediately in soil that has been amended to be rich and well-draining. Water thoroughly.

To propagate by seed, harvest the seeds in the fall and put them in a plastic bag with moist peat moss. Place the bag in the refrigerator for six or eight weeks. The seeds need a cold period to mimic winter. Then, plant the seeds in a seed flat or several small pots, barely covering the seeds, and place them in a warm area with bright, indirect light. They should germinate in three or four weeks. Transplant them into the garden after the last spring frost. They won't flower the first year.

Types of Japanese Anemone

'Honorine Jobert' Anemone

Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' is 3-4 feet tall and covered with 2-inch-wide pure white single blooms. It spreads less rapidly than other varieties.

'Queen Charlotte' Anemone

Anemone x hybrida 'Queen Charlotte' offers wonderful, semidouble pale mauve flowers on 3-foot-tall plants. Zones 4-8

'September Charm' Anemone

Anemone hupehensis 'September Charm' offers single pink flowers in late summer and early fall. Zones 4-8

'Whirlwind' Anemone

Anemone x hybrida 'Whirlwind' is one of the largest hybrid anemones. It grows 3-5 feet tall and has large, semidouble white blooms. Zones 4-8

Japanese Anemone Companion Plants

Turtlehead

This native perennial gets its name from the shape of its unusual flowers, which resemble the heads of snapping turtles. It's a good choice for heavy, wet soils and spreads to form dense colonies of upright stems bearing pink, rose, or white flowers from late summer into fall. It grows best in some shade but tolerates full sun with adequate moisture.

Culver's Root

Culver's root is imposing and elegant, with vertical spires of whitish-blue flowers against dark foliage. Planted in full sun in humus-rich soil that remains moist, they may reach a whopping 7 feet tall; where the soil is drier, they stay a little more compact.

Hepatica

Hepaticas are diminutive wildflowers with bowl-shaped white, lavender, purple, or pink blooms. They get their name from the evergreen three-part leaves shaped somewhat reminiscent of the human liver—pointed or rounded on their ends and often with a deep purple cast. The plants grow in deep leaf litter in deciduous woodlands in the wild. Hepatica is excellent in shady rock gardens or woodlands where the soil is rich with humus.