Anemone Ruffled Swan

Description

Anemone ‘Ruffled Swan’ – Japanese anemone

Botanical name: Anemone ‘Ruffled Swan’
Common names: Japanese anemone, windflower
Family: Ranunculaceae
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Habit: Clump-forming, spreading, with tall wiry flower stems
Pot size: 2–3 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 50–60cm tall × spreading
Foliage: Divided, dark green leaves in a low basal clump; deciduous
Flowers: Large, semi-double white flowers with frilled, ruffled petals shaded lilac-blue on the reverse, and golden centres, late summer into autumn (August–October)
Scent: Not notably scented
Aspect / light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Moist but well-drained, fertile, humus-rich; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy, to about −20°C); USDA zones 4–8
Exposure: Sheltered or open; tolerant
Native range: Garden form; the parent species are native to Asia
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Low toxicity; the sap can irritate skin, and the plant may cause mild stomach upset if eaten

Anemone ‘Ruffled Swan’ is a distinctive Japanese anemone with large, frilled, semi-double white flowers shaded lilac-blue on the reverse. Compact and characterful for sun or partial shade borders.

GardenAdvice notes

One of the finest of all late-season perennials, the Japanese anemone carries its elegant, saucer-shaped flowers on tall, wiry, branching stems, swaying gracefully above neat clumps of divided foliage from late summer well into autumn. It brings invaluable colour and airy grace to the garden just as summer fades, thriving in sun or partial shade and coping happily with the shade beneath trees and shrubs.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring or autumn in moist but well-drained, fertile, humus-rich soil in full sun to partial shade — it tolerates quite a lot of shade and is excellent in a partly shaded border. It can be slow to establish in its first year, but then settles and spreads. Space about 45–60cm apart. Water well while establishing.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance once established. Water in dry spells in its first year. Leave the seed heads for winter interest, or cut back after flowering; tidy the old growth in late winter or spring. Once settled it spreads by underground runners and can be vigorous, so lift and reduce it if it exceeds its space — this is also the way to propagate it.

Propagation

• Division: Lift and divide, or detach rooted pieces of the spreading roots, in spring or autumn.
• Root cuttings: Can be propagated from root cuttings in winter.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free and healthy. It can be slow to establish, then spreads vigorously, which is its main trait to manage. Powdery mildew occasionally occurs in dry spells. Otherwise robust and reliable.

Uses in the garden

Superb in mixed, cottage and shady borders, woodland edges and among shrubs, where its tall, elegant late flowers bring grace and colour from late summer into autumn, filling the gap as summer perennials fade.

Wildlife value

The open flowers are a valuable late-season source of nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects.

Toxicity & safety

Japanese anemone has a low level of toxicity: the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when cutting it, and the plant may cause mild stomach upset if eaten.

GardenAdvice tip

‘Ruffled Swan’ is a real character — large, frilly, semi-double white flowers with a soft lilac-blue wash on the reverse of the ruffled petals, all on a compact, well-behaved plant. It’s a lovely choice for the front to middle of a border; treat it like all Japanese anemones and be patient in the first year while it finds its feet.

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