Anemone nemorosa

Quick Characteristics:

Anemone nemorosa L., accepted by some authorities as Anemonoides nemorosa (L.) Holub, is a very common wild flower in the woods around Cologne, Germany, typically blooming in the first week of April, often covering the floors of beech forests. Photos by Jamie Vande and John Lonsdale. The fourth picture was taken in the woods near Aberfeldy, Scotland by Bob Rutemoeller in May 2004. The last picture shows a pink, nodding form which usually grows between the common up-facing white form on the Swabian alp, southern Germany. It makes up about 20% of the population in that area. This species is rhizomatous.

Photos by David Pilling, 1 -2 are of developing seed at the end of May, 3 is of ripe seed at the end of June. Half of the seed was kept moist at outside temperatures after collection and started to germinate at the end of January 2014; seedlings as shown in photo 5 did not appear for many weeks. The other half of the seed kept dry before being exposed to cold and moisture did not germinate in 2014.

There are several double forms available. Picture 1 shows a green fringed garden seedling: A new cultivar appeared in Diane Whitehead's garden some year, growing between 'Vestal', which has a tuft of short white petals in the centre, and 'Bracteata' which is an unstable mix of green and white petals that varies from one flower to another, or from year to year. The new flower has a green-tinged fimbriated centre tuft that is longer than that of 'Vestal'. Picture 2 by by John Lonsdale shows Anemone nemorosa 'Kath Dryden', photo 3 shows 'Amelia', in which the transition between leaves and petals is blurred. The cultivar 'Blue Eyes' actually starts out pure white and needs a few days before the name-giving darker center becomes visible.

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Anemone nemorosa 'Royal Blue' Photographs by David Pilling show commercially supplied roots on a light blue 10 mm grid; in the second one the growing tips can be seen. Photo 3 has been white balanced in an attempt to show the true color.