Rue Anemone is an early perennial pant which appears in March and has a long blooming period. It is a wild flower which can be found in woodlands and rocky places.
It belongs to the buttercup family, and its name originates from the similarity of this plant to windflower (a small anemone).
It is a perfect plant for shade gardening. Growing naturally in woods, this plant likes partial shading, but it will do reasonably well even in full shade, provided it's planted into rich, acidic and well drained soil.
Normally it reaches about twelve inches in height. The flowers are white in color, sometimes touched with pale pink. Usually they have five petal shaped sepals and around fifteen yellow stamens.
Not only flowers, but also foliage of this pant can be an attraction for gardeners, as it looks exceedingly beautiful.
How to plant Rue Anemone
This plant can be propagated by root cuttings, division and seed. If you choose the option with seeds, make sure to provide them cool and moist conditions for about three months in order to germinate properly.
Grown from seeds, these plants will take two or three years to start blooming, but Rue Anemone is really worth waiting, as it always adds a special elegance and modest beauty to a garden.
Its flowers are not really showy, but at the same time their cute simplicity will not leave you and your visitors indifferent.
The plants can be propagated by division as well, but you can do this only once every four years, otherwise there is a danger of damaging the plant.
It is best to sow the seeds of Rue Anemone in the beginning of the fall, in planting holes about six inches. The spacing between the plants should be approximately twenty inches.
As mentioned before, this plant prefers to grow in partial shade, so make sure you find such place in your garden. Full shade is acceptable as well; bright afternoon sun should be avoided. Remember to keep the soil rich and moist.
It is best to add some organic leaf matter: it would replicate the natural condition of soil in a woodland, a place it is native to. Another important factor – the soil should be rather acidic, with pH level ranging from five to seven.
How to take care of Rue Anemone
It is rather easy to take care of these plants, and this will be definitely appreciated by the gardeners who can't afford spending as much time in their gardeners as they would prefer. Rue Anemone has to be watered regularly, especially during the flowering season.
Make sure the plants are protected from wind, and put some mulch around the plants in autumn.
Warnings
They say Native Americans may have used a tea of its roots for medicinal purposes, like treating diarrhea and nausea. And most probably they even ate the roots.
However, it is important to know that roots of this plant can be potentially poisonous. For this reason give proper instructions to children and keep away the pets. Do not consume any part of this plant under any circumstances.
Summary
Rue Anemone is a wild flower found in the woods and in rocky locations. Also known by crowfoot and wind flower, this flower for shade gardening is in the buttercup family.
It is an early bloomer, around March and April. It grows to a height of 12 to 18 inches tall. Needs constant moisture and an acidic soil.
Propagation is best by division. There are several suppliers of this shade flower. The flower is almost always white and to a lesser degree pink. Having said that, there are domesticated varieties available.
These aren't show stoppers, but a unique addition, that little extra no one else has. They work especially well in a rock shade garden.
Type of Rue Anemone
Double White
Tairin
Betty Blake
Green Dragon
Shoaf's Double Pink
Cameo
Anemone - Blue and White - Mixed Colors - $ 11.50 The Blue and White Windflower Mix, 'Anemone De Caen Blue and White', consists of a striking combination of blue and white anemones. Each bulb produces multiple flowers in late spring. This flower is also known as Japanese Anemone and is one of the best spring flowers to plant. The foliage is glossy and brilliant. Anemone are easily grown and do best in slightly shaded locations.