How to Grow Japanese Anemone (Beginner’s Guide)

So, you want to grow Japanese anemone so you can get some plant coverage in your yard.

These gorgeous, tall decorative flowering plants look kind of clumsy with their large flowers on tall stems.

But they’re extremely versatile as a border or pathing plant.

(And they’re extremely to grow.)

If you need to brighten up your garden, Japanese anemone are a perfect plant to consider.

Let’s see if they’re right for you!

Last updated: 11/10/21.

What’s a Japanese anemone?

Japanese anemone is a member of the buttercup family, officially known as the Ranunculaceae genus.

There aren’t many plants that are in this group that blooms during the autumn season, but Japanese anemone is known for it.

Their tall, elegant stems make them stand up high into the air to show the word their gorgeous flowering petals that arrange perfectly around a golden center.

They’re a low maintenance plant that does well in multiple hardiness zones, tolerant to wildlife, and can be used for flower decorations, paired with perennial plants, and even planted in containers for the fall garden.

This is a plant that sprouts gorgeous individual flowers in the fall in a variety of different colors.

You can also mix and match them as they all have similar care requirements for a garden full of different colors.

Plus, it’s super easy to care for and very beginner-friendly.

Quick care guide: Japanese Anemone

Plant type	Herbaceous perennial
Origin	Japan, China
Scientific name	Anemone hupehensis
Other names	Chinese anemone, thimbleweed, windflower
Soil type	Well-draining, nutrient-rich, humus-rich
Soil pH	4-6
Sunlight requirement	Partial sun, full sun
Bloom season	Spring, summer, fall
Colors	Pink, purple, white, hybrid
Max height	48 inches
Max width	36 inches
Temperature	40F+
Humidity	Low
Watering requirements	Keep soil wet, but not waterlogged
Fertilizer requirements	Low, only when planting the rhizome cuttings
Days until germination	3-4 weeks
Days until bloom	1-2 years
Speed of growth	Very fast
Hardiness zones	3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Plant depth	2 inches
Plant spacing	3 inches
Propagation	Rhizome division, seed, self-sow
Common pests	Japanese beetles, caterpillars, beetles, blister bugs, nematodes, slugs, snails
Common diseases	Leaf spots, powdery mildew, Sclerotium, rust, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Pythium
Beginner friendly	Yes
Care level	Low
Uses	Decoration, pathing, cut flowers

What do the flowers look like?

The flowers are the charm.

They grow 3” blooms (sometimes smaller) that hang atop lengthy and thick stems. The stems are dark to light green and the flowers are like giant heads

Where do they come from?

Japanese anemones originated in Japan as the name implies, but a lot of them are native to China.

They’re naturally found in the meadows or grasslands in the woody areas of the country.

Some of them have been grown in the US by experimental gardeners as well, though not thoroughly documented.

Some flowers are single and others double petaled, so they can fill up a landscape with no problem.

Japanese anemones include pinks, purples, whites, and hybrid colors and look amazing when planted in large quantities.

The petals are smooth and tipped with a wide taper and look like poppy flowers, which is why they’re known as the buttercup genus.

When do they bloom?

Japanese anemone will bloom from July to October.

Some later varieties may flower until November. They grow quickly and will fill up an entire garden if the proper care is provided.

This is also why they’re considered to be a weed in Hawaii and an invasive plant.

So some states do want to control these plants.

But that works for those who want this plant to propagate and offer some coverage to their yards.

They produce thick roots with runners that grow into a tall flower.

If you have other plants growing nearby, be careful because Japanese anemones will compete for nutrients and possibly push them out of their territory.

Japanese anemone varieties

Because of their charm, many different cultivars have been created. The most well-known one is called A. Hupehensis.

Many hybrids stem from this “base plant.”

Some hardier anemones are A. Tomentosa which can grow in Zone 3-4, even in the coldest zones possible.

Because it’s so hardy to cold, people use it as a plant to produce offspring for hybrids.

Another hardy type is A. Vitifolia, which does well in zone 5.

Some other cultivars you can check out are:

September charm

This is a very popular strain that has a pink and white outline on the petals with a golden center.

September Charm is easy to grow and has a layered appearance with the flower petals and attracts all sorts of beneficial insects like bees and wildlife.

It grows easily and flowers in the summer to the fall.

Each plant can grow up to 48” at full size and can give you that flower field feeling in your yard. The plant does well as a pathing or border plant.

It can also be planted in large planters in hardiness zones 4-8. This cultivar appreciates partial sun with good quality soil.

Snowdrop anemone

Snowdrop is perfect for those in zones 2-9.

This particular Japanese anemone develops some snow white petals with purple and pink backings on the underlay. The flower centers are golden orange and the stems are pink and green.

Snowdrop makes a perfect plant for coverage in spring to fall.

Honroine Jobert

Honorine Jobert is a white anemone dabbled in both pink and purple.

The center is gold and this particular strain is well suited for late summer landscapes. The plants are about 36” in height and do well in woodland themes or containers.

This strain can be grown in zones 4-8 with moist soil. Plant them where you can see them during sunset.

Then you can appreciate their bright white colors shining off the last few minutes of daylight. It’s really a sight to behold.

Cinderella

Cinderella is a shorter anemone that grows around 16” tall and does well in cottage gardens.

They can be used for bordering plants, pathing, or even grown in woodland gardens, as with most Japanese anemones.

Cinderella has a dark pink hue with white markings that blend perfectly around a golden center.

With its tall and thick stems and powerful, sturdy roots, this strain does well in hardiness zones 4-8. It blooms from spring into the late growing season for plenty of bloom time.

Serenade anemone

Serenade is a bright pink flowering anemone that can grow up to 24 inches in height.

They sport some pretty pink hues with a golden stamen and layers of petals surrounding them to complement a perfect design.

They almost look picturesque and do well in woodland gardens or as a bordering plant. Serenade anemone is hardy in zones 4-8.

Find out which one suits your hardiness zone so it’s easy to grow. Then close the perfect colors for your garden.

If you need help choosing complementary colors, use a color palette picker.

How to grow Japanese anemones

Here are the steps to plant these gorgeous, pretty plants in your garden.

You’ll have plenty of these dainty little buttercups by following these tips and tricks.

Sunlight

Choose a location that needs coverage.

Again, Japanese anemone is a fast-growing plant and will provide your yard with excellent coverage.

They need plenty of space to thrive and you should choose a location that offers it.

They do well in partial or full sun spots that have plenty of light in the morning or afternoon.

Avoid areas with bright light all day because this damages the flowers.

Avoid windy areas

Japanese anemones don’t stand up well against gusty areas or strong winds.

They will get blown around and lose their petals in heavy wind.

So choose an area that doesn’t have any drafts or add some kind of shelter to protect them. You can build a microclimate to help stop any winds from getting to them.

Since they’re tall plants, they don’t like any winds.

You can use stakes to help keep them upright during gusts, or use structures that block any strong winds (think fences and retaining walls.

Choosing the right soil

Next, choose an organic, rich, well-draining soil that’s loose enough for water to quickly drain.

You can add your compost or manure to supplement nutrients in the substrate. The pH should be about 6, as these anemones like slightly acidic soil.

Choose humus-rich soil that retains moisture well over the warm summer as they appreciated wet, but not a waterlogged substrate.

Planting

After you’ve chosen both your planting location and the proper soil type, the next step is to plant!

Start by digging a large hole that allows you to put at least the size of their original container right into the soil.

Add some plant fertilizer or plant food if you wish.

Japanese anemone does well with some bone meal or pea gravel for improved drainage.

Bone meal provides additional nutrients. You can also use rocks or sand to help reduce the possibility of soil compacting and blocking water drainage.

Remove the anemones from their containers and place them carefully into each hole. You can leave some of the original soil on the roots.

But if you see any clumps or dry dirt, remove it because it clogs the new soil.

Try not to damage the roots in the process. When you uproot the plant from the container, you should make sure that the crown of the anemone is level with the soil level.

It shouldn’t be below the soil line nor above it for the best results.

Place the new plant into the substrate and backfill the soil around the roots and stem. Pat it down to hold the plant in place.

Don’t overdo it with too much strength or else it may become compacted.

You’re now done with the transplanting. Add some water so you can loosen the soil and give them a refreshing drink.

Add some mulch on top to help conserve water. A 2” topper of mulch is good enough.

This will preserve the water and reduce the rate of evaporation. But avoid adding mulch directly over the crown.

Watering

Japanese anemones appreciate a good watering before the soil completely evaporates.

Don’t let it go dry, but don’t let it become waterlogged either.

You’ll need to use a water meter or check on the soil’s moisture level if you have weather that changes all the time.

Follow a strict watering regime during the first growing season to help develop the roots.

You can use water-retaining soil to help reduce the amount of water wasted.

Plant food

Other than the plant food you added in the beginning when you planted the anemone, you shouldn’t need to add any more fertilizer.

You can add a balanced NPK fertilizer or some compost if needed. But these plants generally don’t need any more food.

They do well using solely compost that’s high quality and nothing else.

Pruning

Japanese anemone doesn’t need to be pruned other than to let more light in so that shorter plants can receive sunlight.

You can deadhead them if you wish. This will help clean up any spent flowers and keep them clean.

Pruning can be done to remove any damaged or dead petals.

Note that pruning doesn’t encourage new plant growth, so don’t do it for that reason. It’s strictly for hygiene and to keep it pest-free (as they like to eat rotting foliage).

In the spring, the first thing to do is to clean up the old plants by cutting them back. Trim them to 2” above the soil line.

Remove any mulch you added during the winter (if necessary) and clean up the area around the plants.

There should be plenty of material for you to use as compost or for birds to use as nesting material!

This can be saved and doesn’t need to be thrown out, as long as you don’t spot any pests or fungus.

Remove any spent flowers to help redirect energy and possibly extend bloom times. You can keep them growing by doing regular pruning of spent foliage.

Winter care

If you live somewhere that has an extreme cold, you’ll need to do something to protect your Japanese anemone as most aren’t hardy to the cold.

You can add a thick layer of mulch on top of the soil to help insulate them from the winter weather.

Row covers, greenhouses, or a cold frame can be used in extreme cold snaps.

If you’re growing them in pots, take them to a sheltered zone to help keep them safe.

For milder areas that don’t have extreme climates, you can just leave them outside and they’ll do fine.

Add a thin layer of mulch if you wish, but be sure to remove ALL mulch in the springtime.

Cut back, to a few inches from the soil at the end of flowering.

How to propagate Japanese anemone

This plant is easy to propagate through root division.

You can also propagate through root cuttings.

As with most plants that rely on dividing uproot systems to propagate, it’s as straightforward as can be.

There’s no difficulty with it as long as you’re careful so you don’t accidentally damage or snip one of the roots.

Let’s cover both methods in detail.

Cutting the rhizome

Uproot the plant carefully by first removing all loose dirt around the crown.

Use a small garden shovel or fork to dig up the dirt. Then focus on the root system.

Remove as much dirt as you can without harming it. Do NOT use scissors or pruners to dig. This will result in cutting up the roots and snipping them which can ruin your divided plants!

Dig up about 6” from the main stem and clean up any debris. You can use a hose to spray it which will loosen the dirt.

Brush off any remaining dirt and get the roots and rhizome as clean as you possibly can.

When you uncover the anemone, you’ll see that there are roots tangled into smaller clumps. You may find just two or three per plant. That’s good enough.

You should have individual rhizomes for each one and they should also have their root system with a stem.

Cut the rhizome using a clean pair of pruners dipped in rubbing alcohol to prevent infection.

Cut it as close to the crown as you can while leaving 3” of roots. You should now have individual rhizomes each with 3” of roots and a stem.

The root pieces can also be used to propagate into new anemones.

They’re now ready to be replanted into a starter tray. Use some starter soil and plant them 0.75” deep and cover with a plastic topper.

Place it in a partially sunny area and keep it moist.

The new sprouts should come out after they germinate, which is about 2-3 weeks depending on local conditions.

Let them grow and then transplant them into their larger containers.

You can also sow into the garden after the last frost date is cleared.

What about starting from seed?

You can if you want, but this is often extremely slow and you won’t get true plants.

So I suggest sticking with dividing up the roots instead.

This way, you’ll see results quicker and won’t be discouraged by waiting periods for something to sprout. I don’t think starting from seed is that much more rewarding anyway.

But hey, to each their own

Planting in containers

Japanese anemones can be grown in containers.

Use a wide container that’s about 12” in diameter and 10” deep so they have plenty of room to develop their runners.

The pot needs to have drain holes.

You should test it first by filling it up with a high-quality potting mix with plenty of compost and some fertilizer.

Add some peat moss or rocks at the bottom so the water can drain. Then soak the container to create a path of least resistance for the water.

The water should drain quickly. If it doesn’t, mix up the soil and remove some to prevent it from compacting.

Containers dry out faster than soil that’s in the yard. So you need to water more often to keep it wet, but not waterlogged.

Pests

Japanese anemones are hardy to most types of bugs.

Since they grow so fast, they can be replaced by trimming or removing one plant often won’t affect the overall picture.

But there are some pests like snails, slugs, aphids, black blister beetles, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and other bugs that love to feed on the petals or foliage.

If you suspect your anemone is being eaten by pests, do a thorough inspection and think up a plan of action.

Most insects can be controlled naturally using essential oils, diatomaceous earth, or even manual removal.

Snails and slugs are especially sensitive to boric acid, salt, or diatomaceous earth, which can be sprinkled around the soil surrounding your plants by building a barrier to keep the bugs out.

Wildlife is also attracted to Japanese anemones and they can be beneficial to propagating the plant.

Deer and rabbits are naturally repelled, so you don’t need to worry about them.

Why is my Japanese anemone not flowering?

This is often due to too much direct sunlight.

The light should be partial or full, but only in the day and afternoon.

Don’t let the bright sunlight shine on your anemones all day because this will harm them and result in smaller or failed flowers.

Place them in an area with only a few hours of direct light per day and the rest being the only partial sun.

What to do with anemones after flowering?

After they flower, you can prune off the spent foliage to help keep it growing.

You can extend the bloom time or even get more flowers per season by carefully pruning any spent stems.

If you’re referring to after you harvest the flower, you can use it as a fall-blooming plant around the yard. Japanese anemones are often sold as cut flowers and you can do that yourself.

You can give it to someone or keep it for yourself. These plants are extremely versatile and have a dozen uses.

Are they poisonous?

Yes, Japanese anemones are considered to be poisonous plants when ingested, so always use protective equipment when handling them. And don’t let other people or pets touch or eat them.

Wash hands after handling.

The toxins from the plant will harm dogs, cats, and other pets if ingested, so prevent it at all costs.

Do bees like them?

Yes, bees favor Japanese anemones because of their bright colors which lure them to come help pollinate and propagate the plant for next season.

You’ll often find bees crawling around on the golden stamen extracting the nectar of the flower.

This plant is good for attracting bees and wildlife to your yard.

How do you keep them growing?

You can keep your plant growing and blooming by pruning off spent foliage, proving plenty of water, and supplementing with a balanced fertilizer and bone meal.

Japanese anemone grows easily and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance as it’s a low maintenance plant.

Rather than focusing on making a single plant produce blooms multiple times, how about planting a bunch of them all over your yard and filling it up?

Further reading

Here are some references you may find useful:

• Perennial Japanese Anemone Anemone x hybrida – UoI
• Anemone x hybrida — Japanese Anemone
• Anemone hupehensis – Plant Finder

Did you learn how to grow Japanese anemones?

You now have all the basics down and you’re ready to plant this tall, graceful plant.

They’re perfect for beginners who want quick results and for filling up a garden with lush foliage and color within a few seasons.

They self sow and can be divided by root division for plenty of flowers exponentially.

These white, purple, and pink flowers are well suited for decorative plants, container plants, or border plants to mark the pathing around your yard.

They’re also perfect plants to fill up bare spots in your yard.

Whatever the case, Japanese anemones are here to give you plenty of dazzling sights without asking much in return.

What’d you think? Which strain of anemone do you like? Let us know in the comments section!