Japanese jewels that are really from... China
You might expect (with some justification, it must be said) that the popular group of perennials known as Japanese anemones might originate from the country that bears their name. Well, don’t be fooled. These late-flowering beauties aren’t indigenous to the East Asian nation but actually come from a place 1,800 miles to the west… China.
The confusion can be blamed on esteemed 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Thunberg, who wrote a book on Japan’s native flora. Among entries was a plant he dubbed Anemone hupehensis var. japonica. Unbeknownst to him, it had been introduced from China in an early cultural exchange and had naturalised in the countryside.
Botanists discovered the error in the mid 19th century, yet the name Japanese anemone stuck.
Now I’m sure this must annoy some green-fingered academics but let’s be honest, most gardeners couldn’t give a hoot. They simply admire these plants for delivering a torrent of blooms at a time when other perennials are winding down.
Appearing between July and October, depending on the actual variety, the saucer-shaped blooms are either white or a shade of pink, and adorned with a distinctive, central boss of golden stamens. The single, semi-double or fully double flowers are held aloft on wiry stems above mounds of vine-like leaves.
Apart from looking good at the tail end of the growing season, this is the perfect time for planting container-grown Japanese anemones. Plants will establish readily in warm, moist soil and be ready to bloom next year. In due course they’ll start to spread and put on a more impressive show, year after year.
Anemone hupehensis var. japonica arrived in this part of Europe in the 1840s and was eventually crossed with a grapeleaved anemone from Nepal (Anemone vitifolia) to create Anemone x hybrida — this cross species is the parent of many of the varieties available today.
Breeding hasn’t provided gardeners with plants bearing blooms in a wide range of colours, but they do fluctuate enormously in height. The majority of varieties produce flowering stems 2½ft to 5ft tall, although in recent years there have been a flurry of newcomers arriving that grow to a more modest 1ft to 1½ft.
As for growing Japanese anemones, they like fertile, welldrained soil and will thrive in dappled shade or full sun, as long as the ground doesn’t dry out in summer.
The roots of plants will rot in soggy ground over winter, so improve the drainage of clay soil before planting by digging in plenty of garden compost or similar organic matter.
They are perfect in woodland-style plots and wildlife gardens but are equally at home towards the back of herbaceous beds and borders, or planted under trees.
Compact forms will do well in 12in pots with John Innes No.3 compost. Among the best are the Pretty Lady series, such as ‘Diana’, ‘Emily’ and ‘Julia’, which grow to 1ft, along with some members of the Fantasy Series — ‘Belle’, ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘Red Riding Hood’, which all stand at a compact 1½ft.
The one drawback with Japanese anemones is that many varieties have the tendency to stray beyond their allotted space by means of underground runners.
Once a clump has spread to its desired size, prevent any further advances by digging out wayward shoots in spring.
Many gardeners are willing to put up with this vigorous nature to enjoy an amazing floral display, but if you’re looking for a variety that’s easier to maintain, track down ‘Fall in Love Sweetly’. Blessed with semi-double, rose-pink flowers, it’s the first in a new series of Japanese anemones that have been bred to spread more slowly.
As these plants are also accomplished self-seeders, cut back stems that carried blooms once the show is over. Apart from that, lift and divide mature clumps when they’ve filled their earmarked area.