Poppy Anemone: A Gardener's Guide and Plant Profile

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Learn about spring-blooming poppy anemone flowers in this gardener's guide of these beautiful perennials, including plant care, companion plants, and more.

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Purple spring-blooming anemone flower

Great for cut flowers, cottage gardens, and more, poppy anemones delight with their dazzling colors, tall stems, and cup-shaped flowers.

Also known as Anemone coronaria or windflower, these flowering bulbs help welcome spring season with their cheery presence.

In this anemone plant profile, you'll learn about the unique characteristics of this plant as well as basic plant care and companion plants for your landscape.

This post will teach you the skills you'll need to care for your anemone bulbs before and after they bloom. In the end, you'll have the confidence needed to grow and care for them on your own.

Quick and Dirty: Fast Plant Care Facts

Soil Needs	Likes rich, well-draining loamy soil. A mix of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter.
Water Needs	Regular watering while growing and flowering. Excessive water or wetness can lead to rot.
Sun Exposure	Thrives in partial shade.
Cold-Hardiness Zones	Sunset hardiness zones 2-9 and 14-23 for A. blanda; zones 1-4 for A. canadensis. USDA hardiness zones 5-8 for A. blanda; A. canadensis is hard in zones 3-7.
Bloom Time	Late spring to early summer.
Flower Colors	White, blue, pink, and purplish-red.
Mature Height/Width	Grows 10 inches to 24 inches tall and spreads by creeping stems out to 24+ inches.
Plant Spacing	Space each plant anywhere from 10 inches to 24 inches apart, depending how fast and dense you want plants to grow together.

(See a more detailed plant table below)

Anemone Plant Care and Handling

The windflower, mostly sold now as hybrids, used to be very popular but the species might not be found in many gardens anymore. In addition, they need to be handled and cared for differently than other anemones.

Plant tuber-bulbs in the fall in hardy areas for spring blooms, and if not hardy to your areas you can then plant in the early spring.

They like well-draining soil, mostly on the sandy side, and are not fans of sitting in any water for any amount of time as they are susceptible to rotting.

As far as sunlight needs, either full sun or partial shade is fine for these gorgeous plants.

Common Anemone Uses in Your Garden

These beautiful plants can be designed into your landscape in several ways, including:

Grouped in mass plantings,
Along borders, or
Used in rock gardens.

Poppy anemones would be perfectly suited in containers or potted plants for spring flowers and later foliage color.

Also, they make wonderful cut flowers and their slightly feathery leaves can add a fine-textured look to any garden.

Poppy Anemone Companion Plants

Anemone bulbs will return each spring season after season, therefore, they could have a lot of options for friends.

You really cannot go wrong with a companion for these flowering bulbs. It simply boils down to your individual preference, color choice, and sunlight needs.

Companion plants to consider:

Violas, like Johnny Jump Ups
Pansies
Daffodils,
Tulips
Grape Hyacinth
Alliums
Hyacinth

Poppy Anemone Plant Care

Common Name	Anemone, Poppy Anemone
Botanical or Scientific Name	Anemone coronaria
Cultivars	'De Caen 'Blue Star'; 'De Caen Pink Star'; 'De Caen White'; ' St. Brigid';
Plant Type	Perennial bulb. Can be from Tuber or Rhizome type of bulbs.
General Information	- In the Ranunculaceae family. - Perfect for border plantings, in containers, under deciduous trees and shrubs, and as viny-ground cover in and around other spring flowering bulbs.
Zones	Sunset hardiness zones 2-24. USDA hardiness zones 7-10.
Native Environment	Native to the Mediterranean and Europe and Southern Europe, Japan.
Sun Exposure	Mostly thrive in partial shade to full sun.
Water Needs	Regular watering while growing and flowering. Excessive water or wetness can lead to rot.
Soil Needs	Likes rich, well-draining loamy soil. A mix of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter.
Mature Height/Width	Grows 10 inches to 24+ inches tall and spreads by creeping stems out to 24+ inches.
Bloom Time	Early spring to early summer.
Flower Colors	White, blue, pink, red, and purplish-red.
Fertilize	If in fertile soil, no real need, but if in rocky or low nutrient soil, then compost or a fertilizer could be very helpful.
Plant Spacing	Varies by species, but generally space each plant anywhere from 10 inches to 24 inches apart, depending how fast and dense you want plants to grow together.
Suggested Companion Plant/s	Anemone can be planted with and around where Tulips and other spring flowering bulbs will pop up. Works great underneath deciduous trees and shrubs for color and textured leaves early in the spring through to start of summer.
Maintenance Level	- Minimal maintenance required overall. Be sure to cut away old blooms after they have withered, treating them like any other bulb for maintenance. Keep leaves until they either wither and die or need some trimming for other surrounding plants needs. - Only require pruning or clean up when flowers have withered and their leaves have died back down to the ground level. ??? - Need regular watering when in their growth and flowering phases, where when they die back to the ground level no further extra watering is needed until next late winter and early spring. ???
Poisonous to Pets?	According to the pets.thenest.com, Anemone may cause internal bleeding and convulsions in cats. Probably not a bad idea to keep away from dogs and other pets as well, although they weren't mentioned in this article.Anemone toxicity to pets
Edible for Humans?	Can be used to ease some human digestive discomfort if prepared properly. Fresh sap from plants can irritate skin, and in children can induce vomiting and possibly diarrhea.
Fun (or historical) Facts

Anemone coronaria Conclusion

As you've read above, spring anemone flowers will add color to your drab winter garden beginning in mid to later winter. Plus, they are very easy to maintain.

Planting anemone bulbs in the fall season and being mindful of their growth needs, your bulbs should pop with color for seasons to come.

Now we want to hear from you!

What other questions do you have about anemones that we didn't answer above? Let us know by leaving a quick comment below. Thanks!

Want to learn about other plants in your garden? Check out some of our previous plant profiles:

See you in the garden!

~ Sean and Allison

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Anemone References:

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