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The flower belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, genus Anemone (includes more than 150 species). Some gardeners and gardeners know this flower under the name “daughter of the winds.” That's what the ancient Greeks called it.
The perennial plant Bland's anemone has become a permanent resident of most summer cottages. The flowering period begins in late April-early May and lasts approximately three weeks. The Blanda flower is considered a mountain flower and grows naturally in the Caucasus, Balkans, and Asia Minor. This plant is light-loving and when choosing a site for planting and caring for the plant, preference is given to the southern, bright sides. Anemone Blanda is considered a drought-resistant plant and therefore tolerates a period of temporary lack of water better than its excess.
The usual soil of the Blanda anemone is natural moist calcareous soil. The root system of the plant is represented by a tuberous rhizome of indeterminate shape. Stems 14-21 cm high grow from buds located in the upper part of the rhizome. A poppy-shaped anemone flower with a diameter of 3-3.5 cm is formed at the end of each stem. Flower bushes look elegant and airy.
Bland's anemone with blue-violet petals is mainly grown. However, there are several dozen varieties with flowers of other shades:
- Anemone Blue – a spring flowering variety, the flowers of which have a deep blue color (as in the photo);
- Anemone Blanda-Mix - a mixture of flowering plants that have flowers of different colors: pink, blue, blue, white. Does not grow higher than 25-30 cm. The active flowering period is late March-early June. If the tubers are planted at intervals of 10-15 days, the plant will continue to bloom long and spectacularly. The anemone variety Blanda-Mix is most often chosen for decorating flower beds and flower beds. Thanks to the bright and rich colors of the flowers (as in the photo), the flowerbed can be decorated without planting other plants. To create a decorative flowering “cushion”, up to 49 roots or bulbs of Bland’s anemone are planted per square meter;
- Anemone Blu Shade is the lowest growing anemone variety (no higher than 10-15 cm). Elegant blue flowers (see photos) exquisitely decorate spring lawns.
Features of growing anemones
Anemone Blanda is one of those few plants that grow well both in the country and in the apartment. Depending on the place of cultivation, the nuances of planting and caring for the plant are determined.
Selection of site and soil
If you want to breed anemones in your dacha, you must first choose a suitable place.
The flower does not tolerate a lack of light, so for planting and caring for it it is advisable to select an area that is well lit or slightly shaded. Only with the right amount of sunlight is Blanda able to bloom magnificently and for a long time.
A special requirement is placed on land. The soil should be loose and breathable. Neutral or alkaline soil is preferable, but in no case acidic (suitable pH 5-8). To give the soil airiness, you can add sand to the soil. If it is necessary to reduce the acidity level, wood ash is used. To do this, the soil around the bushes is sprinkled with ash. This must be taken into account when planting anemones or during their growth.
When choosing a landing site, you need to pay attention to soil moisture. Since the Blanda anemone does not like extremes: excess moisture will lead to rotting of the rhizome, and from a lack of water the plant stops blooming and may lose its leaves. Therefore, before planting anemones under bushes, you need to make sure that this area is not flooded in the spring with cold melt water.
Methods for breeding Bland's anemone
To propagate flowers, you can use seeds or division of rhizomes.
- Breeding Bland's anemone with seeds usually causes difficulties. And this has nothing to do with the skills of the summer resident. It’s just that the plants have poor seed germination – about 25%. Only freshly harvested seeds should be sown. An area in the shade is allocated for sowing. The soil is specially loosened and fertilized. Anemone seeds should not be deeply buried in the ground, as there is a risk that they will not germinate. At this stage, you should especially monitor the soil moisture, avoiding water stagnation. The seeds germinate the next year, in spring.
- An easier way to breed Bland's anemone - dividing the rhizome. This operation should be carried out when the flower enters its dormant period - in July-August. The root is carefully dug up and parts with buds are separated from it. A piece of anemone tuber is buried in a specially prepared hole. Planting depth is 3-5 cm. It should be borne in mind that Blanda takes a long time to take root in a new place. When preparing the soil, you must carefully select old rhizomes, since the anemone root is very fragile and can be easily damaged.
Growing the Anemone Blanda Shades flower is not associated with great difficulties or financial costs, therefore it is accessible to many summer residents and flower growers.
Plant care
Anemone Blanda is considered an unpretentious plant that does not require much attention. The main requirement for planting and care is monitoring the level of soil moisture. In arid areas, it is advisable to cover the soil around the planting with peat mulch or tree foliage (linden, maple, apple tree). This technique makes it difficult for moisture to evaporate from the soil and compact it. Mulch also inhibits growth weed. The optimal layer of mulch is 3-5 cm.
If the area does not suffer from a lack of water, then areas located on a hill are selected. In such cases, it is also important to ensure good soil drainage.
After the end of the growing season in mid-summer, the leaves of Bland's anemone turn yellow and die. The flower is considered frost-resistant and, if the winters are not severe, then the roots can not be dug up, but left for the winter. To avoid accidentally damaging them, it is recommended to fence or mark the area with anemones in some way. If winters are cold, the plant is additionally covered with a cushion of leaves or spunbond.
When planting and caring for Bland's anemone at home, you should keep in mind that the plant must be provided with an abundance of diffused light. Leaving the flower in direct sunlight is extremely undesirable.
It is advisable to fertilize anemone during the flowering period. The most suitable option is the use of complex mineral fertilizers. Excess feeding can negatively affect the growth of a flower, so it is necessary to observe moderation with feeding.
Plant diseases and pests
The Blanda flower is resistant to disease, and thanks to its poisonous juice, pests avoid the plant.
There are several diseases that can damage anemone:
- nematodes (microscopic phytohelminths) - gnaw leaves and roots. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the appearance of yellowish-brown spots. The pest can be destroyed by spraying the bush with Decaris solution (tablet per liter of water). Preventive measures include: avoiding watering flowers from above and in cool weather. If the bushes are severely affected, the diseased anemones are dug up and burned. The soil in the area of diseased flowers must be replaced;
- the aphids feed on plant juices and Blanda weakens. The leaves curl, the buds fall off. The flower withers and becomes susceptible to other diseases. Aphids also provoke the development of fungal diseases in the plant. If several bushes are affected, you can use chemicals: Carbofox, Fufanon. You can also spray Bland flowers with decoctions of wormwood and tansy. Prevention - mulching the soil, fighting ants that carry aphids;
- the slugs eat the foliage, the stems of the anemone and the plant dies. If there are only a few slugs, you can simply collect them and take them out of the area.Prevention - mulching the soil around flowers, carefully weeding and loosening the soil.
General preventative measures include regular weeding, loosening the soil, removing damaged foliage and burning diseased plants.
How to combine anemone with other flowers
This gently flowering perennial plant is popular not only among summer residents, but also among landscape designers. The Anemone Blanda mixture can be classified as a universal color, as it looks harmonious on an alpine hill or in a rock garden. Low-growing flowers are used to decorate mixborders. Blanda Blue anemones can be used to stylishly decorate stone paths. These bushes of different colors look great in the company of fruit trees and other ornamental shrubs (see photo).
The best companions for spring anemones are primroses, peonies, primroses, tulips or daffodils.
Anemone Blanda is an exceptionally delicate flower, which already in the spring pleases summer residents with its bright blooms. It is enough to give it a minimum of attention, and it will bloom gratefully on the site for many years.
