How to Grow Anemones

Growing anemones is a very similar (if not identical process) to growing ranunculus! The only difference is, anemones are easier to grow in my opinion, and they tolerate very cold winters much better! These beautiful eye-catching flowers make a great addition to the garden for an early pop of color, and they make phenomenal cut flowers (last almost 10 days in a vase)!

Depending on your grow zone, you can plant your anemone corms in either fall or late winter/early spring, in a place where they’ll get full sun. In places with mild winter temperatures (zones 7+), corms can be planted in the fall and overwintered outdoors with protection from a low tunnel or frost cloth. In colder areas (zone 6b and below), anemones must be grown in a minimally heated hoop house or held back and planted out at the end of winter/early spring. If corms are exposed to temperatures below 25°F (-4°C), they will freeze and ultimately rot once thawed. So be sure to protect them from extreme cold temperatures.

When you unpack your corms, you’ll notice they resemble shriveled brown acorns and are probably not what you were expecting. Don’t worry these strange little bulbs will actually produce an abundance of blooms come spring.

Before planting, soak corms for 3 to 4 hours in room temperature water. It’s important that you don’t soak for too long; otherwise they will rot. As the corms soak, they will plump up, often doubling in size.

After soaking, corms can either be planted directly into the ground or presprouted. Presprouting the corms before planting will mean flowers bloom a few weeks earlier. To presprout, fill a flat-bottom seed tray half full of moist potting soil. Sprinkle the soaked corms onto the soil, and cover them with more soil so that they are completely covered. Leave this tray in a cool place (40°F-50°F / 4°C-10°C) for 10 to 14 days in an area where rodents can’t find it. Check on the corms every few days, making sure the soil is moist but not soggy, and remove any corms that show signs of mold or rot.

During this time, corms will swell to about twice their original size and develop little white rootlets that resemble hair. Once rootlets appear, it’s time to plant them in the ground.

Before planting, it’s important to prepare the growing beds. We add a generous dose of compost (2-3 inches) and a balanced organic fertilizer and mix it thoroughly into the soil. Anemone corms are planted 6 inches apart at a depth of 2 inches, with 4 rows per bed. Plant corms with the pointed end down.

During cold stretches, when temps dip below freezing, cover the plants with a layer of frost cloth. Autumn-planted corms bloom in early spring, and late winter/early spring-planted corms will flower by mid-spring.

We always get lots of questions about how to store anemone corms until it’s time to plant them, and about whether they can be left in the ground to rebloom the following year. Corms can be stored in the bags they arrive in; keep them in a cool, dry place until it’s time to plant. In colder climates, grow anemones just like annuals and plant new corms each season. If you’re a gardener in zone 7+, you can leave your corms in the ground and they may bloom the following year depending on multiple factors, such as how cold your winter is, how well your soil drains, and how much pest pressure you have in your garden. I never count on over-wintered corms and plant new ones every year. If the over-wintered ones return, I always count it as a bonus.

Anemones are extremely long-lasting, easily persisting for 10 days in the vase if harvested as soon as they open. Adding flower food to the water will ensure that the flowers stay brilliantly colored. Be sure to cut spent flowers down to the base to promote new blooms.