Flower of the Day - Anemone

Name: Anemone

Botanical Name: Anemone Coronaria

Popular Name: Poppy Anemone, Lily of the Field, Windflower

Plant Type: Perennials

Blooming Time: Mid Spring – Early Fall

Vase Life: 7 – 10 days with proper care

Storage Temperature: 32-42 degrees

Ethylene sensitivity: Not Ethylene Sensitive

Height: 11.7 invhes

Plant Spacing: at least 8 inches apart

Special Care Instructions:

This sounds complicated…haha

Step 1

Give your poppy anemones a cold treatment by storing them in your refrigerator for two to three weeks. Poke a few holes in a plastic bag and fill it about 1/3 of the way with potting mix. Place the tubers in the bag, and cover the tubers with about 1 inch of soil. Put the bag into your refrigerator. Keep the soil in the plastic bag moist, but not drenched. Check on the tubers every few days, and give them a few spritzes of water--don't allow the soil to dry out. Remove the bag after two to three weeks.

Step 2

Dig holes 1 to 2 inches deep in the location you've chosen. Your poppy anemone tubers should be planted 6 to 8 inches apart, in rows that are spaced at 10 to 12 inches apart. Sunset Plant Finder recommends planting poppy anemones with the scarred side facing up. Cover each tuber up with soil, and then irrigate each thoroughly. Push a planting stake into the soil near where you plant your poppy anemone tuber; this will help give the plant support as it grows.

Step 3

Check on your poppy anemone tubers every few days, and water when necessary. Sunset Plant Finder suggests keeping the soil around your poppy anemones well watered during both the growth season and blooming time.

Step 4

To care and maintain your poppy anemone, The Maryland Cooperative extension at the University of Maryland suggests fertilizing your poppy anemones each time you water using a liquid based fertilizer (20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium).

Starting Anemones Indoors:

Step 1

To start  poppy anemone tubers indoors 4 to 6 weeks before spring, fill up planting cells with sand. Water each cell, saturating the sand. Allow sand to drain.

Step 2

Poke holes in each cell to a depth of about 1 to 2 inches. Place a poppy anemone tuber into each of the cells with the scarred side facing up and cover with damp sand.

 Step 3

Check your poppy anemone tubers each day. Keep the sand moistened, not drenched. Once the seedlings reach about 2 to 3 inches in height, you can plant them outside or into containers, using the steps described above.

Cut Flower Care:

Recut the stems at an angle, removing one to two inches with a sharp knife to allow for better water intake.

Keep Anemones in medium light and in a cool spot to prolong vase life. This flower prefer the cold water and the cold spaces. Anemones will open in light and heat so be sure to keep plan appropriately for blooming purposes.

Refresh the water that the stems are standing in on a daily basis. Anemones are heavy drinkers so check their water level frequently when hydrating and arranging.

Position the anemone arrangements in a cool area of your home, or place of business, in order to keep them looking fresh.

Whenever possible, place the arrangements in the refrigerator at night or when not being displayed.

Adding nutrients to the water will also help to extend the freshness of anemone arrangements.

Anemones continue to grow after arranging. Leave enough room in bouquets and wedding centerpieces for flowers to open.

Fun Facts:  

Anemones are excellent fresh cut flowers for wedding centerpieces and bouquets.

Some say the name, anemone, or wind-flower, was given because it is so fragile that it withers when the wind blows over it; others say that it only blooms when the wind blows it open.

Anemones are delicate flowers that come in white, purple, pink and red shades.