‘Royal Blue’ European Wood Anemone Is an Early Spring Gem

Spring ! There ’s no meter of year I like more . After I ’ve been welter through the stagnancy of wintertime for calendar month , my anticipation is tangible . Waiting with bated breathing spell for all theearly - rising ephemeralsto olfactory organ up in mywoodland gardensand grace the brown , languorous earth is unfeignedly a jubilant time . One of my favorite group of these early gem is theanemones , particularly those of flyspeck and delicate presentation such asAnemonenemorosa . This slowly creeping perennial is widely distributed throughout central and northern Europe and is comparable in abundance and crying flesh to the eastern North America nativeA. quinquefolia . While both are wonderful garden additions , the former alien does offer significantly more mutant in the dozen of cultivar available . Of the many I have grown , ‘ Royal Blue ’ is a picky standout .

InMaythis beauty brings powerfully blue - lavender flush to the fore here in Maine . The petal , narrow and finger - like , resemble picayune stars . While the blossoms steal the show , this species really deserves recognition for its fine ( literal ) leaf . Leaves egress with nod buds and unfurl as a deeply break down canopy of toothy green leaflets .

I have tried this cultivar in full shade , in virtually full sunlight , and in all types of land and wet availability . Generally it keeps on maintain on , performing like a champ and blooming to beat the band in all position . That say , the reception to environmental focus ( particularly drouth or heat ) is summertime dormancy . ‘ Royal Blue ’ European Natalie Wood anemone will almost for sure vanish by the end of August in New England , even in the coolest , wettest seasons . I have put off this other dormancy with death more than once , only to go dig and discover the brown rhizomes amazingly turgid and animated . When this sort of nap - time incursion accidentally occurs , I have just tucked the stems back into the dirt ( often forgetting to water , although I really should ) , and I see no inauspicious core for the perturbation .

With its slow , creep habit and very short height , this little wonder exercise well with many othershade plants . ‘ Royal Blue ’ is a great foil for broad - leaved perennials , include brunneras ( Brunneraspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) , gingers ( Asarumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , andsmall hostas(Hostaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) . Many variation of European wood anemones are out there , including double sort and those with foliar color variant . All are deserving a try , though ‘ Royal Blue ’ stands out for being truly a reliable gem .

‘Royal Blue’ European wood anemone

Anemone nemorosa‘Royal Blue’

Zones:4–9

Conditions : fond to full shade ; moist , humus - rich or arenaceous soil

Native mountain range : Europe

Daniel Robarts , Ph.D. , is the glasshouse coordinator and propagator for Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay , Maine .

illustration : Elara Tanguy

Sources

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