Content
The wood anemone is a forest dweller. However, if the necessary conditions are created, this plant also grows successfully in a summer cottage. Anemone is easy to care for and is suitable for growing in the middle zone.
Description of wood anemone
Anemone is a perennial herbaceous plant for open ground that belongs to the ranunculaceae family. These flowers are also called anemones, since their petals are sensitive to the movement of air currents.
In nature, there are 170 species of anemone, which are found in the northern hemisphere all the way to the Arctic.
Wood anemone is a primrose that lives in the north of Eastern and Western Europe, in Siberia, in the foothills of the Caucasus and Crimea.
Wood anemone can be seen in the photo:
The anemone root system is a vertical powerful rhizome. In spring, leaves grow from it on petioles up to 20 cm long.
At the end of May, flower stalks appear, on which there are one or two large white flowers. The diameter of the flower is up to 7 cm. On the reverse side, the petals may have a purple tint.
Wood anemone grows in three years. Then its bush reaches a volume of 30 cm. Installing limiters helps prevent growth.
Landing rules
Planting and caring for anemone should take into account the characteristics of this plant. A suitable place is chosen for it, after which they begin to prepare the soil.
Selecting a location
All varieties of wood anemone grow in shady places. In natural conditions, these plants can be found under trees or shrubs. In the garden, anemones are planted next to primroses, pansies or spirea.
The composition and moisture of the soil should remain unchanged until the end of the season, even when the anemone stems die.
Anemone grows in forests in clearings and edges, slopes with numerous bushes, rocky terrain, meadows and steppes. It is found in oak and coniferous forests, but not in dense thickets, but in open places. Wood anemone also thrives in sandy soils.
Therefore, in garden conditions, the plant needs to be provided with partial shade and planted under a mountain ash, sea buckthorn, plum or cherry tree. The planting area should remain spacious and protected from the wind.
Soil preparation
The anemone should be planted in fertile, loose soil. It is best if the soil is neutral or slightly acidic. The plant can grow in poor soils, but for abundant flowering it is necessary to prepare a better soil composition.
If the soil on the site is heavy and clayey, then it is improved by loosening and adding sand.Due to this, the earth receives more air and warms up faster. Another method is to apply organic fertilizers, which enriches the soil with nutrients.
It is better to prepare the soil for anemones in the fall by digging up the flower bed and adding compost or overripe manure.
All types of anemone prefer well-moistened soil. However, stagnant water negatively affects the development of these plants. Therefore, before planting, it is necessary to arrange drainage. Crushed stone, gravel, expanded clay, and broken brick act as a drainage layer.
Anemone transplant
Since the anemone grows in the area over time, it can crowd out other plants planted nearby. Transplanting anemone will help solve the problem.
It is best to carry out the procedure in the spring when the first shoots appear. Roots and adventitious buds are transferred to the required location. You can replant the anemone in September, but in this case the plant takes root less well.
It is not recommended to replant anemone too often, since the plant reacts sharply to such changes. The transplanted anemone may die.
Rules of care
With proper planting and care, the anemone blooms profusely. Caring for the plant is quite simple: just maintain the required level of humidity and monitor growth weed.
Fertilization and watering
If the wood anemone grows in the shade, then frequent watering is not required. It is necessary to monitor the moisture level and if the soil dries out, water the bed in a timely manner.
Mulch in the form of fallen leaves of apple or pear trees, peat or purchased mixtures will help increase soil moisture. Due to the mulch layer, weeds do not grow and moisture evaporates more slowly.The mulch thickness is 5 cm.
Fertilize the anemone with complexes consisting of minerals. They are used only during the flowering period.
Plant pruning
Anemone does not require pruning if its flowers are not used to make a bouquet. After flowering, the aboveground parts of the plants die off without additional intervention.
Even if an anemone is dug up for the winter, it is not recommended to trim its leaves so as not to damage the integrity of the plant.
During the growing season, it is not recommended to disturb the anemone. If neighboring flowers are cut or the lawn is mowed, it is better not to touch the anemones.
Preparing for winter
If the region experiences severe frosts, you can dig up the anemone rhizome. In winter it is stored in a cool place and planted in the ground in the spring.
In central Russia, the anemone is left in open ground for the winter. The bed is covered with tree branches or spruce branches. An example of covering with spruce branches is shown in the photo:
Reproduction of wood anemone
To propagate wood anemone, seeds, tubers or cuttings are used. The most effective is cutting anemones or using tubers. This plant is rarely grown from seeds because they have low germination rates.
Using seeds
Anemone seeds have low germination rates. In total, ¼ of the freshly collected seeds germinate. Stratification of seed material, which involves exposing it to cold, helps to increase germination.
Wood anemone reproduces by self-seeding. Its seeds germinate faster than other species. If you plant the seeds in mid-summer, shoots may appear in September.
After planting the seeds in the summer, cover them with fresh moss or other mulch, which keeps the soil moist. in autumn sprouted anemone tubers dig up and store in a cool and moist place.
The process of growing anemones from seeds includes the following steps:
- The seeds are mixed with coarse sand in a ratio of 1:3. Peat can be used instead of sand. The resulting mass is thoroughly moistened. It is sprayed with water daily.
- When the seeds begin to swell, you need to add a little soil and place the mass in a room with a temperature of no more than 5 degrees.
- When the first shoots appear, the container with the seeds is buried in snow or soil, then covered with sawdust. Plants should be refrigerated for 1-2 months.
- Anemone seedlings are planted in a permanent place after the second leaf appears.
It is best to plant anemone seeds in loose soil in the fall. You can also leave the seeds in boxes and bury them on the site. They are covered with straw on top. In winter, the material will undergo natural treatment at low temperatures, which will ensure its high germination rate.
Using tubers
Using tubers, wood anemone is propagated as follows:
- Before planting, wood anemone tubers need to be soaked in warm water. When they swell after a few hours, they are planted in pots to a depth of 5 cm.
- Before planting, you can wrap the anemone tubers in a cloth that has been moistened with Epin solution and put it in a plastic bag. The tubers are kept in this state for 6 hours, after which you can immediately begin planting them in the ground.
- A substrate is prepared for the anemone, consisting of moistened peat and sand. Periodically you need to add moisture so that the soil does not dry out.
- Then they begin to prepare the flower bed. A hole 15 cm deep and 30x30 cm in size is suitable for planting tubers.
- At the bottom of the hole you need to pour a handful of wood ash and humus.
- If there are no tubercles on the tubers, then planting is done with the sharp end down. If it is difficult to determine the growth point, then the tuber is planted on its side.
- The tubers are placed in the hole and sprinkled with earth, which needs to be pressed down a little.
- After planting, anemones are watered abundantly.
By cuttings
Another way to propagate anemone is by cuttings. Wood anemone forms root shoots with a renewal bud.
The cutting procedure is carried out in early spring before the start of active growth or in the fall during the dormant period. Cuttings grow from adventitious buds, which are located on the roots. Especially a lot of them are formed after flowering.
About half of the spring cuttings take root. If autumn cuttings are taken, 75% of them take root.
The cutting process takes place in the following sequence:
- The wood anemone is dug up and its roots are cut off. The plant can be replanted and will quickly recover during the season.
- The resulting roots must be cut into cuttings 5 cm long.
- To speed up the root formation process, use a solution of epin or another growth stimulator.
- The cuttings are placed at a distance of 3 cm from each other in a pot with a loose substrate consisting of peat, sand and loam.
- After planting, the soil is compacted and sprinkled with sand.
- Containers with cuttings are placed in a greenhouse or buried in the ground. The landing site is covered with film from above.
- Occasionally, water the cuttings of the plants.
- When a stem with green leaves appears, the intensity of watering is increased.
- After adventitious roots appear, the film is removed.
- The anemone is planted in the flower garden the following year.
Diseases and pests
Anemone is susceptible to leaf nematodes. This is a type of worm that feeds on plant leaves. As a result, dry spots appear on the leaves, have an irregular shape and are located in random order.
An anemone affected by a nematode should be destroyed, since the plant will die anyway. Then you need to replace the top layer of soil and change the place where the anemone is planted.
When humidity is high, anemones are attacked by slugs. These pests are collected using traps and baits.
Uses of wood anemone
Anemone will decorate a country flower bed or a bouquet collected from primroses. To keep cut flowers fresh longer, it is recommended to add a little warm water to the vase every day or spray the flowers.
Before placing in water, the anemone stem is cut at an acute angle. These flowers can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time if wrapped in paper.
Anemone juice in contact with the skin can cause swelling, redness and itching. Therefore, you need to cut flowers with caution.
In folk medicine, forest anemone is rarely used, since its properties have not been fully studied. The stems and leaves contain toxic substances, so it is better not to experiment with this plant.
Conclusion
Wood anemone is an unpretentious plant with beautiful white flowers. In nature, anemones reproduce by seeds, but new plants can be obtained using tubers or cuttings.
Before planting, the soil is prepared. Its composition can be improved using peat or sand. Anemone is undemanding to care if the required level of soil moisture is provided.
