Anemones, also known as wood anemones or just anemones, come in two different types. Tuberous anemones bloom in spring, while perennials bloom in fall. That's why they are also called autumn anemones. Both species differ in care and winter hardiness.
How do I recognize an anemone?
Anemone perennials are autumn anemones that are characterized by their bushy shape and a height of up to 1.5 meters. They have taproots without tubers and are almost all winter hardy. In contrast, bulbous anemones bloom in spring and have black bulbs on the roots.
How to distinguish between tubers and perennials
Anemone bulbs:
- Spring blossom
- Up to 20 centimeters high
- Black tubers on the roots
- Propagation by tuber separation
- Bulbs rarely hardy
Anemone perennials:
- Autumn Blossom
- Bushy shape
- Grow up to 1.5 meters high
- Taproots without tubers
- Propagation by root division
- Almost all varieties are hardy
Identifying perennials
The easiest way to tell whether you have a bulbous or a perennial anemone is by the flowering time. Tuberous anemones are spring bloomers. They remain quite small and only form weakly bushy plants.
When an anemone really gets going in autumn, it is a perennial anemone. It can grow up to 150 centimeters high and branches out into a bushy shrub with many flowers.
Bulb anemones have a small root system on which there are black, irregularly shaped tubers. They don't look like flower bulbs, but they are comparable to them. Perennial anemones form taproots that you can divide for propagation.
Buy anemones as tubers or perennials
Bulb anemones are available in stores in packs containing several tubers.
Perennials are usually sold in pots. When ordered from garden retailers, delivery takes place in the form of root cuttings.
Different care needs
Bulb and perennial anemones differ significantly from each other when it comes to care.
You can plant winter-proof tubers in the ground in the fall. Make sure you use hardy varieties of anemones. You must dig up non-hardy anemones in the fall and store them in a dry place.
You should plant perennials and non-hardy tubers in spring so that the autumn anemone has enough time to grow and develop its taproots. After flowering in autumn, cut the anemone down and cover it with a mulch.
Tips & Tricks
All anemones are slightly poisonous. The toxin protoanemonin contained in plants damages the skin and nervous system of humans and animals when ingested. When dried, the toxins break down.