Gardening Plants & Flowers Flowers

14 Beautiful Types of Anemone Flowers

Varieties, bloom times, and care tips for growing these colorful flowers

By
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh has written about gardening and special occasion flowers for the Spruce since 2011. She has more than 20 years of experience caring for flowers and plants. She was a feature writer for Organic Gardening at Suite101, where she won awards for her writing.
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Updated on 10/01/22
Reviewed by
Debra LaGattuta
Debra LaGattuta
Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a Master Gardener with 30+ years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

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Fact checked by
Jessica Wrubel
Jessica Wrubel
Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel
Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
'Hadspen abundance' anemone with dark pink petals with yellow anthers and centers closeup

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Anemones have long been a favorite flower of florists, brides, and anyone who seeks clear, vibrant colors in the garden. A member of the Ranunculus family, the Anemone genus includes more than 120 species. Of those, a relatively small number formed the basis for most of the named hybrids and cultivars now grown as garden plants. Bloom times vary considerably, but all anemones have poppy-like flowers that sway in the faintest breeze, a characteristic that lends these plants one of their common names, windflower.

Anemones vary in their hardiness and growth requirements but all grow easily from corms, bulbs, or as herbaceous perennial plants sold in garden centers in spring and summer. In zones where they aren't hardy, anemones are often planted as annuals. Although many varieties love the sun, others thrive in woodland gardens, giving a much-needed color boost to shady landscapes.

They come in a multitude of colors including white, pink, red, blue, purple, and yellow. There are three main types of anemones that offer different bloom periods during the year. These are: spring flower, which bloom in the spring; tuberous Mediterranean, which bloom in both spring and summer; and fall flowering anemones, which bloom from late summer through the fall.

Here are 14 anemone varieties that will add elegance to floral arrangements and cheer to border gardens.

Gardening Tip

Anemones aren't fussy about soil, though they do best in slightly acidic conditions. Soaking corms overnight before planting seems to soften them up and speed the rate at which they sprout. When planting, it's almost impossible to determine which end of the corm is up, so just place the corm in the planting hole, and the corm will grow in the right direction.

  • 01 of 14

    De Caen Anemones (Anemone coronaria [De Caen Group])

    De Caen anemones with red petals
    Roger Smith / Getty Images

    Red De Caen anemones are poppy lookalikes hardy to zone 7, but gardeners in cooler zones can plant them in the spring for late summer blooms. Gardeners in warm climates should plant the corms in fall for a spring show. Most De Caen anemones are spring bloomers that love full sun. The De Caen mix of anemones was developed in France and brought over in the 1800s, based on the Anemone coronaria species. Many cultivars are available, composing one of the largest groups of garden anemones, sometimes known as French anemones.

    • Native Area: Mediterranean region; De Caen cultivars were developed in France
    • USDA Growing Zones: Depends on variety; most are hardy in zones 7–10; grown as annuals in cooler zones
    • Height: 6–12 inches (depends on variety)
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 02 of 14

    'Mr. Fokker' (Anemone coronaria de Caen 'Mr. Fokker')

    'Mr. Fokker' anemone with purple petals
    Roger Smith / Getty Images

    One delightful member of the De Caen group of hybrids is 'Mr. Fokker.' To those who adore blue flowers, it remains a top pick in delivering a true azure tone. This cultivar looks sensational growing alongside mauve spiky blooms like the 'Plumblossom' snapdragon. It blooms in mid to late spring.

    • Native Area: Mediterranean region; De Caen cultivars were developed in France
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7–10; grown as annuals in cooler zones
    • Height: 10–12 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 03 of 14

    'Hollandia' (Anemone coronaria de Caen 'Hollandia')

    'Hollandia' anemone with red petals
    Steven Knights / Getty Images

    Rich cherry blooms with a white eye and a dark center await gardeners who grow 'Hollandia' anemones. This is another of the spring-blooming varieties from the De Caen mix. The bulbs thrive in loose soil and complement other De Caen anemones both in the garden and the vase. 

    • Native Area: Mediterranean region; De Caen cultivars were developed in France
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7–10; grown as annuals in cooler zones
    • Height: 10–19 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 04 of 14

    'Bordeaux' (Anemone coronaria de Caen 'Bordeaux')

    'Bordeaux' anemone with burgundy petals
    Chris Burrows / Getty Images

    The deep, dramatic red blooms of the 'Bordeaux' cultivar are a welcome counterpoint to the Easter egg colors many spring flowers offer. Plant these anemones, part of the De Caen group, three inches deep in sandy soil, and look for the ferny foliage to emerge in March just before the blooms.

    • Native Area: Mediterranean region; De Caen cultivars were developed in France
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7–12; grown as annuals in cooler zones
    • Height: 8–12 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    Continue to 5 of 14 below
  • 05 of 14

    'The Bride' (Anemone Coronaria de Caen 'The Bride')

    'The Bride' anemone with white petals
    Steven Wooster / Getty Images

    'The Bride' anemone type gives wedding bouquets a fresh-as-a-daisy look, with a twist. The pale green centers are refreshing against crisp white petals, and the flowers have a long vase life. Like others in the De Caen group, it's a spring bloomer.

    • Native Area: Mediterranean region; De Caen cultivars were developed in France
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7–10; grown as annuals in cooler zones
    • Height: 4–19 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 06 of 14

    'Queen Charlotte' (Anemone x hybrida 'Queen Charlotte')

    'Queen Charlotte' anemone with pink-tinged white petals
    James A. Guilliam / Getty Images

    The showy flowers of the herbaceous perennial Japanese anemone 'Queen Charlotte' appear in August, when not much else is in bloom in the garden. These low-maintenance plants spread slowly by runners, forming a handsome clump over a few years. Provide winter mulch to help this anemone variety survive in zone 5. 'Queen Charlotte' is a cultivar in the very large Anemone x hybrida group, which was created by crossing A. hupehensis, A. vitifolium, and A. tomentosa. The group is sometimes known as Japanese anemones, though this is incorrect, because the species are actually native to China.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parents species are native to China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 5–8
    • Height: 24–36 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 07 of 14

    'Honorine Jobert' (Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert')

    'Honorine Jobert' anemones with white petals
    Jo Whitworth / Getty Images

    Gardeners in cold growing zones should try their luck with 'Honorine Jobert,' a herbaceous perennial which is hardy to zone 4. In fact, this variety does poorly in the hot and humid South. Japanese anemones like this one bloom in late summer, filling the garden gap when many flowers are past their peak. 'Honorine Jobert' will do best in a partly shaded location, planted in well-drained soil. This is another cultivar in the Anemone x hybrida group.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parents species are native to China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
    • Height: 36–48 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 08 of 14

    'Serenade' (Anemone x hybrida 'Serenade')

    'Serenade' anemone with purple petals
    Gillian Plummer / Getty Images

    Slow-growing yet offering a vigorous late-summer performance, the 'Serenade' anemone works well in the cutting garden, container garden, and border alike. This Japanese anemone, another member of the Anemone x hybrida group, sports pink daisy-like flowers on wiry stems. This plant is a a cultivar derived from genetic crosses between A. hupehensis, A. vitifolium, and A. tomentosa.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
    • Height: 36–48 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
    Continue to 9 of 14 below
  • 09 of 14

    'Montrose' (Anemone x hybrida 'Montrose')

    'Montrose' anemones with pink petals
    William Turner / Getty Images

    Slightly shaggy petals combine with sweet light-purple tones for a bloom that will complete your casual floral arrangements. A Japanese anemone, 'Montrose' has a long bloom time from summer's end through fall, and it can survive winter temperatures. Some flowers exhibit a double layer of petals, and deer tend to pass by this anemone.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
    • Height: 36–48 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 10 of 14

    'Richard Ahrens' (Anemone x hybrida 'Richard Ahrens')

    'Richard Ahrens' anemones with pale pink petals
    William Turner / Getty Images

    As anyone who has grown mint will tell you, one man's easy plant is another's thuggish weed. 'Richard Ahrens' anemones can be somewhat invasive, but you can easily keep them in bounds by growing them in containers. These flowers, part of the Japanese anemone group, bloom with pale-pink, double-petal blooms from July to September.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 5–7
    • Height: 19–40 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 11 of 14

    'Hadspen Abundance' (Anemone hupehensis 'Hadspen Abundance')

    'Hadspen abundance' anemone flowers and buds with pink petals and yellow anthers

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Let 'Hadspen Abundance,' one of the Japanese anemones, join your asters and mums in welcoming milder weather as fall arrives. Thriving in these cool temperatures, this anemone type often delights gardeners by blooming until frost. It's low maintenance and naturalizes readily yet doesn't behave invasively in semi-shaded areas.

    • Native Area: China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 5–8
    • Height: 24–36 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 12 of 14

    'Praecox' (Anemone hupehensis ‘Praecox’)

    'Praecox' anemone with pink petals
    Clive Nichols / Getty Images

    Dark pink petals contrast with bright gold stamens on summer-blooming 'Praecox' anemones. This tall cultivar is unfussy about its location and soil and is suitable for beginners, blooming from midsummer into fall. It's a cultivar of the Japanese anemone species A. hupehensis.

    • Native Area: China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 5–8
    • Height: 20 to 40 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
    Continue to 13 of 14 below
  • 13 of 14

    'Pamina' (Anemone hupehensis 'Pamina')

    'Pamina' anemone with pink petals
    Jerry Pavia / Getty Images

    Another cultivar of A. huphensis is 'Pamina.' This Japanese anemone isn't picky at all; in fact, it'll spread in sites that provide mild temperatures and consistent moisture. Blooming in late summer, 'Pamina' may benefit from staking.

    • Native Area: China
    • USDA Growing Zones: 5–8
    • Height: 24–30 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 14 of 14

    'Pallida' (Anemone x lipsiensis 'Pallida')

    'Pallida' anemones with yellow petals
    Chris Burrows / Getty Images

    Grown from bulbs and known as the wood anemone, 'Pallida' likes a cool, moist spot in the woodland garden where it can slowly spread to form naturalized colonies. The plants bloom in the spring and then usually go dormant in the summer. They make nice companions to other demure spring plants like bleeding heart and Siberian bugloss. 'Pallida' is popular cultivar of a hybrid plant, A. x lipsiensis, which was derived by crossing wood anemones A. nemorosa and A. ranunculoides.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to Europe
    • USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
    • Height: 4 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Partial shade
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