Thanks go the the Today's Flowers team who host this lovely meme. To see more flowers please click here.
The Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis), also known as Japanese Windflower or Japanese Thimbleflower, belongs in the family Ranunculaceae. It is actually native to Hupeh province in eastern China but has been naturalised in Japan for hundreds of years. It grows to a height of 3' and was introduced into Europe in 1844 by Robert Fortune. He had discovered it growing in a Shanghai cemetery, spreading between the tombstones, one of several beautiful plants used to commemorate the dead.
Japanese anemones may appear delicate but, once established, are strong and reliable plants, appearing year after year to flower profusely from early August until the first frosts. We planted two plants a few years ago and now have quite a clump of them. They are pleasing at all stages, from the first emergence of green leaves in spring, through the pretty buds to the unfurling of the flowers.
