"Anemone, your gorgeous colors seem to beckon me..."
–sung to Yesterday
"No pleasure endures unseasoned by variety."
–Publilius Syrus
I am always astonished, how many gardeners reach only half their potential in their avocation, and exist merely as half-gardeners. I refer to those who enjoy the "idea" of flowers and wish for a splash of color in the garden, but who do not enhance their personal pleasure by adding a variety of color.
If tulips are the most known of bulbs and daffodils the most loved, I certainly would like to share some of the other bulbs the next few weeks. First up is the anemone. The small tubers look like twigs. Anemone tubers grown in California have a flattish top and a cone-shaped bottom. Tubers from Europe look like dried raisins.
Anemone coronaira is best know for its Tecolote hybrids. The single, 3 to r-inch flowers are dark purple-blue, bright red, rose or white. Used by florists for spring bouquets, the David Royston hybrids can be induced into a long period of bloom by successive plantings. Usually a circle on the tuber indicates where the foliage will appear. Plant with the circle facing upward, points facing down.
Plant pointed end down, 1/2 deep and 6" apart. Prefers well drained soil in full sun or part shade. Blooms January to may, becomes 8" to 12'\ tall.
Tecolte anemones have the reputation of being one of the finest strains in the world, Grown in Santa Maria. The best time to plant in Laguna is from September thru January. Plant the tubers 6 to 8 inches apart and covered with 1/2 to 1 inch of soil. The tubers are planted with the fingers or point down. Unlike the European strains, the tubers should not be soaked prior to planting. After planting the soil should be thoroughly saturated, so it will contain enough moisture to sprout the tubers. Water sparingly until sprout show, then watering can be increased.
Commonly called poppy-flower anemone or Peony flowering anemone, bigger bulbs, hence bigger bulbs. avail in doubles and singles. Showy flower is valued for cutting and for spectacular color in spring borders. Finely divided green leaves.
Anemone is the classical Greek name for these plants. This and a. fulgens and a hortenesis are the leading tuberous-rooted sorts for pot culture and much grown by florists. The plant is the "lily of the field" ion the Bible.
Anemone coronia, fulgens, and hortensis are most popular and from these most of our present day hybrids have originated. The tubers can be found reasonably priced at your local nursery and should e planted in rich loamy soil in the fall and allowed to. They come in the most gorgeous colors, the blue shades being particularly beautiful. They are easily raised from tubers.
They enjoy rich loamy mixture of soil well drained, but partial shade at midday is helpful in keeping the young plants growing vigorously and upon this will determine final results. Plants will begin flowering early and keep up a continuous succession of bloom for many weeks if slightly shaded as the weather become warm.
If desired, the tubers can be taken up, well dried, and kept in storage for replanting in September. Anemone is sometimes attack by aphids and leaf miners. Rusts can sometimes be a problem, removed the diseased plants.
Mix in well rotted complete with bulb fertilizer. Give the bed a good soaking and irrigate every 2 weeks for a medium soil and weekly for a sandy soil. The beds should be fertilizer with bulb food about every three weeks after the first true leave appear. and work into s8il..
The temptations for a flower grower are diverse and powerful… at one time or another, we happily give in to them. Which is why some of us may seem unexpectedly perplexed, wear perpetual pouts, or complain that there just isn't enough room for everything. Being practical isn't that important when it comes to pleasure; so make the discovery that anemones are easy to buy, easy to grow, and will give your a veritable florist shop of flowers. See you next time.
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