Spring anemones: planting, maintenance and best varieties

Where to plant spring anemones?

Grow Wood anemone and Snowdrop anemone (nemorosa) in woodland or in beds sheltered from deciduous trees alongside hostas, ferns, Solomon’s seal, or epimedium.

More pairing ideas ⇒ Pairing wood anemones, Pairing Snowdrop anemones.

It is an excellent ground cover in partially shaded to shaded situations. Avoid planting in full sun, as they will not establish.

Choose a location where the soil is light, well-draining to prevent bulb rot and cool (which does not dry out in summer); anemones are perfectly hardy and can remain in place during winter, even in cold regions.

Michael’s tip: mix Snowdrop anemones and nemorosa for a longer flowering period.

Choosing the planting substrate for your spring anemones

Plant anemones blanda and nemorosa in ordinary humus-bearing but draining soil that does not retain water, as stagnant moisture would cause the bulbs to rot. If the soil is too heavy, mix the soil with 1/3 compost and 1/3 non-calcareous sand.

When and how to plant spring anemones?

Planting of anemones blanda and nemorosa takes place in autumn, while the anemone of Caen is planted in spring.

Wood Anemone (A. nemorosa)

The wood anemone comes in the form of a root. Keep them in the small bag that protects them from drying out until planting.

• Loosen and refine the soil at the intended location;
• Maintain a distance of 10 cm between the roots;
• Plant the roots horizontally at a depth of 5 cm and cover with soil;
• Lightly compact to ensure the root is in good contact with the soil;
• Shortly after flowering, the plant enters dormancy and the leaves disappear, reappearing in spring.

To learn more about planting the wood anemone ⇒ Wood Anemone: Successfully Planting.

Anemone of Caen

The anemone of Caen comes in the form of a bulb.

• Soak the bulbs for half a day to rehydrate them;
• Plant the anemones of Caen preferably in spring, outside of frost periods;
• Loosen the soil.

It is also possible to grow the anemone of Caen in a pot.

Blanda Anemone

The blanda anemone comes in the form of a small bulb.

• Soak the bulbs in water for half a day to rehydrate them;
• Loosen and refine the soil at the intended location for planting;
• Plant the bulbs at a depth of 5 centimetres and compact;
• Maintain a spacing of about fifteen centimetres between two bulbs to allow the plant to develop properly.

Follow our tips to grow the Blanda Anemone in a pot.