Anemone hupehensis var. japonica Pamina

The flowers of this Japanese anemone, known as Anemone hupehensis var. japonica Pamina, are semi-double and intensely pink. They sway gently on slender but sturdy stems from late summer to autumn. The elegance of this perennial is matched only by its abundant blooms, which will brighten the garden with its delightful flowers, even in shade or woodland. Plant in moist, humus-rich soil that is not too chalky.

The Japanese anemone Pamina is a particularly floriferous perennial belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. Presumably resulting from the cross-breeding between Anemone vitifolia, of Himalayan origin, and Anemone hupehensis, native to central and western China, this relatively small variety reaches a height of 60 to 80 cm (24 to 32in) depending on the richness of the soil, with a diameter of 60 cm (24in). Like other Japanese Anemones, it is a perennial plant with fibrous tubers that form large, vigorous, and rounded clumps. The foliage is deciduous to semi-evergreen depending on the climate, highly dissected, dark green, strongly veined on the underside, and hairy.  Flowering takes place from August-September to November. The flowers are solitary, borne on strong, slender, and upright stems. They first appear as delightful oval and fluffy buds, pink in colour, then open into loosely cup-shaped flowers with 20 to 30 narrow, concave tepals, with slightly twisted central tepals. Their colour is a rich but vibrant pink, surrounding a broad crown of yellow-orange stamens. Japanese anemones can live for decades in the same location.

The Japanese anemone is one of the loveliest flowers of autumn. Light and graceful, it sways gently in the wind, unaffected by the first frost. It decorates the garden or large pots on the terrace from late summer until the first frosts. Perfect at the back of a border for the larger varieties, it combines its elegant flowering with the grace of Aster cordifolius or Aster laevis, and the nostalgic charm of perennial chrysanthemums. The Pamina variety is perfect in the center or at the edge of a border, in front of a hedge of hydrangeas and spindle trees. Finally, the finely dissected foliage of the anemones adds a beautiful dark green note to flower bouquets. Sometimes invasive if it is happy, it self-seeds easily. It is relatively easy to limit its spread.

Several dozen perennial or bulbous species with very different needs and behaviours make up this genus. The decorative flowers sway gently in the wind, offering an animated simplicity that gives them their charm and makes them essential in a garden.  Cultivars derived from A. h. var. japonica have many more petals than the type.