Anemone: the colorful and easy to grow spring flower
The anemone is a beautiful flower that comes in many colors, from pink to blue, passing through yellow and white. It can be grown both in the garden and in pots without too much difficulty. It offers a spectacular flowering and myths and legends have arisen around its birth. Let's go to the discovery of its varieties, how to grow it and the needs in terms of climate. Don't miss the video below if you want to know all about the fascinating language of flowers.
The anemone flower: meaning and curiosity
The anemone is a spring flower that belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae. It is "native to South Africa and South America, where it is called" flower of the wind "because its corollas sway in the light breeze that blows in spring. There are more than 150 different species and it is present in numerous colors: pink, yellow, white , red, pink, purple, ... It grows spontaneously in meadows and is usually found under trees or in half-shaded areas as it does not like direct sunlight. It is a light, delicate and fragile flower around which many legends have been born. It is very popular in the gardening field because anemones are one of the most spectacular perennials: in spring, in fact, they give a wonderful multicolor flowering.
The anemone is a flower at the center of various myths, which attempt to explain its meaning. In Greek mythology, for example, Anemone was a beautiful nymph who had attracted the love of two winds, Zephyr and Boreas. The two, to contend for the favor of the nymph, unleashed storms and storms, thus angering Flora, or the goddess of nature. She, jealous of Anemone, cast a spell on her making her become a flower. So it was that while the warm spring wind, that is Zephyr, makes the anemone sway, the cold and winter breeze (Borea) makes it close in on itself. According to this legend, the reason why this flower has such a short duration it would be the curse of the goddess.
In Latin its name means "vital breath' and recalls the ephemeral and fragile character of the flower. The Etruscans, on the other hand, considered it the symbolic flower of the dead, so much so that, even today, the necropolis near Tarquinia are covered with fascinating expanses of blue anemones.
Even in the language of flowers it represents the sense of ephemeral and abandonment, or sometimes it becomes the symbol of betrayed love and disappointments.
In modern culture, in short, the anemone is a flower associated with the transience of feelings, fragility and melancholy, however in some areas of the world, such as the Kamchatka peninsula, anemone extract was used to poison the tip of arrows. .
The significance of this perennial plant that decorates the garden is not exactly cheerful, however its success is undeniable: the anemone is a real star in every gardening magazine (on par with bonsai!).
All about the anemone flower
There are more than 150 different species of anemone, which also grow wild in Europe, however the best known are the anemone japonica, which blooms in summer-autumn, and the fulgens one. They are very popular varieties for decorative purposes, the stem of which can reach up to one meter in height. The coronary anemone, on the other hand, is a rustic cultivar, very strong and resistant that has characteristic simple or double flowers with bright colors. In homeopathy and herbal medicine, however, the most used species is the nemorosa anemone plant, which has numerous beneficial and healing properties. The large colored petals are used, the effect of which would be positive against the effects of many diseases.
In its spontaneous state you can meet the anemone in the undergrowth areas and near the trees because it loves the shade and the coolness. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that can be 15 cm to one meter long and which, in addition to the beautiful flowers with petals of various colors, has very decorative green leaves. In fact, even the leaves of the anemones, just like the petals, are much appreciated both in gardening and in herbal medicine In particular, the leaves of coronary plants are used for many purposes.
How to grow the anemone
To successfully cultivate the anemone it is necessary to have a fertile and drained soil, a cool climate and a not too sunny position. in which cultivation takes place. If the purpose is to have a spring flowering (as in the case of coronary anemones), it is necessary to plant the plants in the period from August to autumn. The planting is performed by placing the rhizomes (ie the bulbs ) of the plant inside the soil. As any gardening magazine teaches, the ideal is to plant these perennial species 7-10cm deep, with the roots pointing downwards.
It is also possible to plant the bulbs at another time of the year but a lot depends on the temperature of the area where you live.
The flower species that grow wild are rustic plants that are also well suited to the winter climate, however they, like all plants in the garden, need specific conditions. The anemone, for example, like other acidophilic plants, loves humid and cool environments, with temperatures between 14 and 20 °.
The anemone, in particular that of the coronaria species, is a rustic plant that is quite easy to grow even in the garden, however, to produce beautiful flowers with a strong color, it must be planted not in direct sun, but in half shade. Therefore, the perfect exposure is in a cool and humid area, where the plants can receive the sun's rays without getting burned. If, on the other hand, you want to grow the anemone in pots, other precautions must be taken.
In any case, as all gardening techniques provide, it is good to avoid water stagnation and too frequent watering that can cause the roots to rot. The rhizomes (the other name of the bulbs) must be placed in a non-windy area and protected from direct light. Generally, the amount of water for the period of the year when it is warmer, is 2-3 waterings per week. In winter, however, the plant (which is perennial) must be protected from frost with a light mulch.
Grow the anemone flower in a pot
For the cultivation of the potted anemone it is very important to pay attention to the shape of the container. The ideal pot is, in fact, large and quite deep. With so much space available, the flowers will be able to develop in height and width, and the root system can also be expanded. The bottom of the container will be covered with gravel, shards or expanded clay, in order to favor the drainage of the water, while the soil must be fresh, fertile and acid. Better if enriched with nitrogen fertilizer, compost and other organic substances.
