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Botanist's Lens: Wind Flowers in Pink


If I had to pick one flower that has the most delicate shade of pink, and lasted throughout summer, I would definitely pick the Japanese Anemone flower. Anemone, comes from anemos the greek word for wind. "According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Greek anemōnē means "daughter of the wind", from ánemos the wind god + feminine patronymic suffix -ōnē (i.e. daughter).[9] The Metamorphoses of Ovid tells that the plant was created by the goddess Venus when she sprinkled nectar on the blood of her dead lover Adonis. The name "windflower" is used for the whole genus as well as the wood anemone A. nemorosa" Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemone

Isn't the meaning beautiful and very aptly suitable to the flowers featured? Anemome genus is another Ranunculus treasure with over 200 species. But don't get fooled by the faint pastel colors, these flowers are hardy, and Anenome as a plant is one you can count on for years to come.

Anemone hupehensis, commonly called 'Japanese anemone,' does well in part shade and full sun. The common name however is misleading, they aren't originally from Japan. In fact, they are native to an eastern province in China.

Anemones get to about 2-4 ft in height and are a great backdrop plant for your perennial garden. They can tolerate little dryness, but mostly prefer moisture for good flower blooms. They have a fibrous root system and the stems are woody at the base. Over time it does spread by underground stems. It is a great border/mass plantings perennial.

I especially like them because, they bloom late summer and last well into fall when there aren't many soft color flowers. The foliage also has deep green color and lasts well throughout summer. In the pictures below, you will also notice the soft pearly buds on the rather long stems that help the flowers and buds dance freely in the wind. Anemones come in many colors, but pastel pink Japanese anemones steals the show!

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