Wood anemone

Description

The wood anemone is a small herbaceous perennial of the buttercup family, only 5-15 centimetres tall. From a slender creeping rhizome rises a single stem bearing one flower, made up of six or more white tepals, often flushed pink on the reverse, that open into a star. The deeply divided leaves form a whorl below the flower. It blooms in early spring.

Habitat and distribution

It is native to Europe, where it grows wild in broadleaf woodland, clearings and along hedgerows. It exploits the light reaching the ground before the trees leaf out: it therefore flowers early, then, with summer shade, the top growth withers and the plant goes dormant.

Cultivation

It is a lovely ground cover for shady and woodland gardens. It wants part shade or light shade and a cool, humus-rich, well-drained soil that mimics the forest floor. It spreads slowly by rhizome, forming broad flowery carpets. It should be left undisturbed: once established, it returns faithfully every spring.

• Plant the rhizomes in autumn, shallowly
• Do not disturb the soil once established
• Mulch with leaves to mimic the woodland floor

Did you know?

It is also known as windflower, from William Turner's interpretation of its Latin name. Like many buttercups, it is toxic if eaten fresh, due to irritant substances. It spreads very slowly: a broad carpet can indicate an ancient woodland.