What Do Anemone Seeds Look Like?
Anemones, commonly referred to as windflowers, are charming perennial flowers suitable for an herbaceous border, naturalizing in open spaces and for rock gardens. While zones can vary by species, anemones can are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10. Anemones have no true petals; the showy party of the flower consists of petal-like sepals. You can propagate anemones from seed that vary in appearance; however, most produce numerous seeds in a fluffy or spiky ball.
Identification of Greek Windflower Seeds
Greek windflowers (Anemone blanda) are small flowers 4 to 8 inches in height with deeply divided leaves and star-shaped bright blue flowers. Plants do not produce a seedpod; instead, the seeds are clumped together in a spiky ball. The seeds go from green to brown, and ripe seed resembles woody grains. Seeds are small and if not harvest right away, they often drift away as the wind blows. These plants can self-seed and grow as perennials in USDA zones 6 through 10.
Identifying Pacific Anemone Seeds
Pacific anemones (Anemone multifida) have short, woody stems and grow 4 to 24 inches tall. Plants have 1/2- to 1-inch wide white sepals and produce seeds in a container that turns inside out to release the seeds. Numerous seeds are contained in each round, fluffy seed container. Sow seeds from Pacific anemones in winter; seeds take between 79 and 119 days to germinate. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9.
Identification of Wood Anemone Seeds
Wood anemones (Anemone nemerosa) flowers are white, often with a purple-tinge, and grow up to 6 inches tall. Because of their low-growing, shade-loving nature, they are suitable for growing beneath deciduous trees and in rock gardens in USDA zones 3 through 9. Like Greek windflowers, the plants do not produce a true seedpod. Instead, they produce a spiky ball that contains several seeds. Seeds look similar to grain. Wood anemone seeds are sown outdoors in winter and can take up to a year to germinate.
Propagating Anemones From Tubers
Many anemones species have fibrous roots, creeping rhizomes or are grown from tubers. Divide and move rhizomous plants in spring. Poppy-flowered anemones (Anemone coronaria) are grown from tubers planted in autumn to early winter. Plants produce spectacular fall color when planted as borders or in grouped in beds. Poppy-flowered anemones are hardy in USDA zones 8 through 10.
- The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening, Volume 1; T.H Everett, Editor
- The New Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel, Editor
- The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Flowers From Seed to Bloom; Eileen Powell
- The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening Volume 1; Elvin McDonald, Editor
- The Seed Site: Seedpods, Seeds and Seedlings
- The National Gardening Association Plant Care Guides: Anemone
Based in Indiana, Molly Allman holds a B.A. in professional writing. She works as both a writer and author and enjoys writing articles on many different topics. She specializes in topics concerning health, crafts, family and lifestyles. Her fiction writing appears in "Bewildering Stories," "The Other Herald" and "Spectacular Speculations."